10th Life
by Woona The Cat
Summary: Kuroka had thought she would fail. Her nine lives had been used up trying to save her sister, but it had all been futile. She had resigned to simply escaping, but out of the blue, a random man claiming to be a wizard appears, wielding powers beyond anything anyone had ever seen. With his help, she may just yet be able to save her sister, altering fate. The Master of Death comes.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I own no rights to Harry Potter or Highschool DxD.

"Speaking"

" _Parsel"_

'Thoughts'

* * *

10th Life

Harry sighed as a loud rap resounded precisely against his door thrice, rousing him abruptly from his undisturbed rest. Sitting up in his bed, he pinched his nose in slight frustration while taking an absent glance at the digital clock sitting on his nightstand, cursing colorfully in response to the mocking red "three A.M." glowing in the inky darkness. Lazily stretching, he slung himself out of his bed, preparing for what he knew would be behind his front door.

Harry's home was a simple one, small and cozy, with just enough space for one person to live in with the occasional guest every now and then. Moving pictures, remnants of his magical background, adorned the walls. Though, most of the portraits were snoring away peacefully in the late witching hours of the night, as they should be. They were pictures of his lost comrades, family and friends. Some had died by the hands of his enemies. Some had died by the hands of his friends. But most had died from the annuls of time slowly withering them away.

Wistfully, Harry wished he could call some of the slumbering images his own flesh and blood, but after Ginny and he had fallen out, he had never found another women to love. She had moved on during the war, as did he. The war had changed both of them irrevocably. There was just too much blood there, too many memories that shadowed their relationship, and too much distance between them.

Hermione and Ron had divorced three years after their marriage, shortly after the birth of their first child. Years of jealousy and feelings of inferiority had finally come out in Ron after one particularly nasty day at work, and his target this time, a repeat of their first year at Hogwarts, had been his very successful wife. Hermione had never regained vision in her left eye after that day. Nor had she ever regained her heart, and the brilliant witch passed on at the tragic age of only thirty four.

Harry had left Britain very shortly after that, cutting off all ties with Ron swiftly. The loss of his best friend cut deeper than any murder or torture he had witnessed from Voldemort, and he could no longer bear to stay in a land so soaked with memories of hatred, death and betrayal.

So, like any self-respecting wizard with too much time and too much money would do, Harry traveled the world, visiting every corner of the globe, both magical and mundane. He learned their secrets and plundered their mysteries with a knowledge lust that would have Hermione beaming in pride. For a boy who had lived in a cupboard under the stairs for a third of his life at the time, the freedom was exhilarating and addictive. It gave him a sense of life for the second time in his brief three decades of living.

But he didn't stop there, Harry dived into magic, uncovering lost arts and untold artifacts of great power, fighting wild beasts that stalked the night and dreams of the staunchest warriors, and of course, saved a few hundred damsels in distress over his many adventures. He unlocked new abilities that had been hidden from him as a child, and like any hero, was broken and remade again and again and again.

It had only been when he returned to Britain nearly 50 years later did he realize how long he had been gone, and the subsequent response to his return cemented his decision to go into exile. Harry had returned, unknowing of the actual passage of time, his face the same as it had been since he had turned 24, his body even more so, having been trained and honed over many battles and adventures. In essence, the 83 year old wizard hadn't aged a day in 50 years.

Needless to say, Magical Britain had not taken kindly to an immortal with infinite youth.

The public backlash was immense and swift, just as he remembered it when he was a young teenager trying to prove to the Wizarding World he wasn't a lying cheat. The sheep rose in droves to condemn him of the darkest arts, demanding their once-savior be put in Azkaban with his magic stripped or be thrown through the veil immediately.

" _Become a hero and live long enough to see yourself become the villain, indeed."_

They hadn't counted on a few things, however. The Boy-Who-Lived was no longer the same, easily controlled child they had envisioned him to be. Their first show of force against the man had been etched into Wizarding History as simply "The Fallout", a double ententre for the relationship that ended that day and for the magical blast that annihilated the entire Diagon Alley street. To this day, the area was avoided like the plague, rumored to be cursed forever for all betrayers. Only the Bank had managed to survive, if only barely, having lost most of its gilded lettering that day.

That day also saw the start of the recession of the entire British Wizarding World. Harry James Potter had marched into Gringotts and demanded all of his holdings be turned over into his direct possession, including the vaults that he had won from the war via right of conquest. 85% of the gold in Magical Britain was taken away that day.

For Harry, however, that day was important for a different reason. That was the day he had finally learned the truth of his existence, the accursed blessing he had been gifted with. His time was frozen until the end of all things, a result of three accursed objects he had blindly gathered in his youth, the Deathly Hallows, the trinity of death's possessions.

Looking back now, Harry snorted at the idea that simply rejecting the wand, snapping it or melting it in lava would break the legendary artifact. Simply put, nothing, short of Death's choice, could erase the wand's existence. No matter what Harry tried, the wand would return every morning, lying innocently on his nightstand, waiting. The ring and cloak were the same. Together, all three made him, Harry James Potter, the Master of Death, a true, deathless entity that persisted outside the realm of human reason and human understanding. Yet, he possessed an intimately deep understanding of human nature. The irony was not lost on him.

Regardless, that was the past. He had not initiated contact with Magical Britain for nearly a hundred years already. But he knew what would be behind that door. Pleasantly, he opened the door, taking note of the heavy rain and crashing thunder idly, having not noticed it in his reverie. It was fitting, he supposed.

"Death."

"Master."

The two entities, two different sides of the same coin, stared at each other, neither giving an inch lest they lose a mile. But then, Death smiled. They always did follow that same silly charade, a tradition of sorts, a reminder of their first official meeting so long ago.

"I suppose you are not going to invite me in then?" Death mused with a knowing smirk.

"As if that would stop you," Harry replied tiredly but good-naturedly, gesturing for Death to come in, "Don't track in anything would you. I just cleaned the place two days ago." Death didn't answer and instead glided through the door with practiced ease, not a single drop of rain on the figure.

"Inviting a young girl into your home in the middle of the night? Your neighbors will surely spread rumors," Death replied smugly, but Harry had known her long enough to understand her jokes.

"Yeah yeah. They can say whatever they want. I'm a lust-filled beast who likes to prey on little girls in the middle of the night. Yadda yadda." He replied with a chuckle of his own, "The only complaint I would make is for you to stop coming around so damn late. I do like to sleep you know, even if I don't need it."

"Oh ho ho. So you wish for the world to see your true, lecherous desires? Should I fear for my sweet virtue then?"

Harry rolled his eyes. Honestly, he couldn't believe that this girl, who was about three-fourths of his height, meaning she was very, very short, could be the most feared primordial force in the multiverse. He still remembered when he met her by chance, masquerading around in a magical girl outfit in the middle of Akihabara, frills and all with her naturally white hair and vibrant steel-grey eyes completing the picture.

Death's human form was not ridiculously curvy but not ridiculously flat either. She possessed a balanced body type, other than her height of course, which Harry never mentioned to her, lest he be on the receiving end of her sickle.

He had also learned that day that leaving Death bored made for some very strange times. Her attitude was also not quite what Harry had expected, but in her words "being gloomy and dark all the time would be tiresome."

"Oh have you finally decided that you do in fact want me that badly? I never knew you adored me so much, Death," Harry replied with a roughish smile, internally cheering as he noticed the small flit of red on his companion's cheeks.

"Shut up," Death replied childishly, pouting as she was outdone by her Master. It wasn't fair! She was eons and eons old. She was supposed to be the wiser and wittier of the two. He was the one who was supposed to lose his composure!

"Pleasantries aside," Harry said, "To what I owe this very late visit Death? Other than to enact out my debauched desires on my poor, unsuspecting, incomparably pure companion."

"They are on the move again." A moment of pregnant silence chilled the air as Harry took in that statement. He sighed in resignation.

"Already? After such a short time? I had hoped to stay in this little town for at least another ten years. What grand plan have they schemed this time? I warned them of their folly almost twenty years ago," Harry said as he took a seat, rubbing his temples in agitation. Why couldn't anyone just let him live in peace. "But I find it curious too. Why are you warning me? You never have before, as there was no need. Backwater wizards with delusions of grandeur are no match for me." Death was quiet, her face pensive. For a moment, she debated with herself.

"Originally, I came only to warn you of the nature of their latest weapon."

"I'm sure it's nothing too impressive."

"Magic gathered from the Veil."

Harry blinked, his mind whirling at the implications. The Veil of Death was aptly named, a tear in the dimensional fabric of Earth to the Land of the Dead. However, to harness such powers was not in the realm of mortal control.

"With that magic. They can harm you," Death continued, "You won't die outright, but if they do enough damage to you, eternal sealing is a real possibility. A fate worse than death, as cliché as that sounds, especially coming from myself." Harry grimaced. Why would they never just leave him be?

"You said 'Originally'. What else did you wish to tell me Death," Harry said softly, his mind already planning for the inevitable battle with the remaining of Wizarding Britain. Death bit her lip in uncharacteristic hesitation. Death does not hesitate. It comes fast, and it comes strong. But she did not know how to continue, but would endeavor, just as she had for eons.

"You are dying Harry," Death muttered, and before Harry could respond, she continued, "Not in body, but in spirit. Every day, every month, every year. Your solitude eats away at your soul. Your inner fears corrode your heart. Your darkest intentions poison your mind. I fear for you, Master."

"And what would you have me do?" Harry snapped back, "I did not ask for this curse. I did not want this burden, but the world and fate itself deems that I am the one to carry it. So I will, if only because I must."

"A burden such as yours should not be taken alone."

"And who is to help me? You are Death, a being beyond even me. You cannot shoulder the burden that my mortal heart bears. You simply can't fathom it," Harry replied bluntly, ignoring the slight flinch of pain that coursed through his partner, "I am alone. And I will always be alone. There is none other who could understand my pain, my sorrows, my regrets and my desires. I am the only of my kind."

"You are…at least in this universe," Death replied softly, but it was loud enough for Harry to hear. She could feel her master's eyes bore into her, and despite her status, she found herself shying away from the intense gaze.

"Explain."

"The Veil. It is not just a portal to my realm. It is a portal in general to the many universes that span realities. At the moment, it is simply keyed to my realm," Death said slowly, watching the light of understanding shine in her master's eyes. "But…"

"Its power is being drained," Harry replied succinctly, putting two and two together, "How long?"

"Three days."

"Of course it is….What would you have me do?"

"Nothing," Death replied instantly, "The choice is yours, as it should have always been. You may choose to stay here with a known fate and eventual peace. Or you may gamble once again with the dice and see what Fate desires."

"Hmph. Not much of a choice then huh? Either turn into an unfeeling stone of a man or risk it all again," Harry mused, a small amount of mirth in his heavy voice. Death didn't truly know which one Harry would pick. Her master had been through a lot in his relatively short lifespan. Pain, betrayal and hatred had been his constant companions for the first century of his life. She did not know if her Master would risk that experience again.

"You know…" Harry said, a small grin on his face, "I think I'm quite ready for another adventure."

Death stared for a moment and then promptly smacked her master for being an idiot.

"Really? The mood was so good and serious just a moment ago, and then you go and ruin it by quoting a damn movie?" she said with a glare, earning a chuckle from her master. Harry was unrepentant, but a warm smile did stretch across his face.

"Thanks Death. Not sure what I would do without you."

"You'd turn into some crazy dark lord who would try to conquer the world through rings just for your own amusement." Harry bellowed out in laughter at that. Abruptly, he brought Death into his arms and hugged her tight, ignoring her suddenly stiff posture.

"I know I don't say it very often. But you're really all I got Death. Thank you."

"I.I.. !" Death, an ultimate force of the universe, stuttered, "Don't just go hugging people out of the blue!"

"Oh ho ho. Is Death a little shy?" Harry teased with a wide grin, pulling back to find Death's face painted red.

"S..shut up!" she shouted, "Such cheekiness needs to be punished! Close your eyes. I'm not letting you off easy this time!" Harry rolled his eyes, but obliged Death. Sometimes, it was best to cater to her more childish whims. So he did as she requested and waited for the inevitable smacking.

And boy did it come, but just not how he figured it. Instead, he felt something wet and warm press itself up against his lips rather aggressively. His mouth opened up in pure surprise, allowing the sudden intrusion of Death's tongue, freezing him in place.

The kiss lasted for another two minutes, and Harry watched in ill-disguised shock as Death pulled away, a noticeable sheen of saliva hanging in the air. He couldn't speak. He couldn't breathe. He could only watch, enraptured, as a victorious smirk appeared on her face.

"Retribution for your teasing," Death replied with a fanged grin, "See you soon, _Master_." Without another word, she disappeared, leaving her stupefied master staring at where she once at been.

"Well, Damn."

* * *

A∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞Ω

* * *

Harry's return to Britain, and the subsequent battle, if it could be called such a thing, wasn't a grandiose conflict where one side yelled at the other to surrender to their betters. It wasn't a theatric standoff between the sides of darkness and light, complete with monologue and mandatory flashy lights. It was a slaughter, plain and simple.

While the British wizards had managed to siphon off bits and pieces of the veil's magic, they had no semblance of mastery over it. It seemed their hopes had hinged on gathering its sheer amount of magical power to use against him as a bomb of sorts.

Of course, they hadn't known that it wouldn't have been enough, close but not quite. However, after three days the veil would have been drained dry. It seemed that Death had stacked the deck in his favor once again.

"Hmm. I have to take her on a vacation or something sometime," Harry mused as he stared at the ethereal, ever-changing veil of ghostly whispers, a.k.a., the Veil of Death, amidst a veritable sea of broken bodies. It was a little unnerving to stand in front of where his godfather had died, but the Master of Death had made his peace with that many decades ago.

"If you're suggesting vacations, I'd suggest the beach," a light voice replied as a pair of slender arms wrapped around his neck and a pair of legs wrapped around his stomach.

"Hmm, I don't suppose this portal can take me right to one then?" Harry asked as he checked his pouch for his belongings, nodding in confirmation.

"Doubtful."

"So where will this take me then? As much as I enjoy your company, I don't think I'd enjoy my time in the Land of the Dead," Harry commented.

"I do not know. All I know is that it will not be my realm as I can control the entrances," she said, "I do suspect that wherever you land will have some sort of tie with my own realm, but where exactly? I cannot say."

Harry paused, staring at the runic archway inquisitively, making his decision.

"Well as they used to say! Gryffindors charge forward," Harry mused as he took his steps into the void, disappearing from his old universe forever as the portal collapsed behind him.

* * *

A∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞Ω

* * *

Let it not be said that Harry James Potter was a fan of magical transportation. In fact, it's rather safe to say he absolutely hated any form of magical transport that didn't involve trains.

This was definitely in his top five worst ways to travel.

If the massive loss of orientation wasn't enough, the strobe lights and flickering, vivid colors only added to his oncoming epileptic fit. His body felt as if it were stretching in every possible direction, up, down, right, left, inside and out. His vision was more apt to be described as a kaleidoscope if anything else!

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the room stopped spinning, but the strange kaleidoscope of colors didn't return to normal. Harry shook his head, finding that his sense of body had been returned to him, but his sense of place was hopelessly confused.

He looked down to finding nothing beneath his feet, and likewise, there was nothing else around him but swirling, purling galaxies of infinite hues. If anything, Harry felt like a floating ingredient in a strange mish-mashed, rainbow soup. Magically, Harry couldn't sense anything either, because the entire place just felt like one huge ball of swirling magic, very pure and dangerous magic.

"Huh…Something tells me that I wasn't supposed to end up here," Harry mused as he tested his ability to move around. It was simple enough. The entire place was made of magic after all. All Harry had to do was manipulate the magic a bit for him to move around, and it came surprisingly easy to him once he got the hang of it.

In fact, it was rather fun once he figured it out, almost like flying, minus the broom and bludgers. Harry was enjoying himself so much that he didn't even notice the sudden appearance of a young girl who watched him fly around without a care in the world for a few minutes.

"Who, are you?" a monotonous voice asked, but the soft-spoken question seemed to boom, reverberating off of unseen walls and focusing directly onto Harry, who lost his concentration and flailed a bit, sending him into an ungraceful spin. The Master of Death looked around for the source of the voice and stopped abruptly when he found it belonged to a small girl who looked to be no older than fourteen at best. Her attire was unusual as well, gothic lolita fashion if he remembered correctly from Death's many lectures. Her eyes were sharp, however, and an aura of power draped around her much like Death, concise and potent.

"Err, I'm Harry," he responded simply, tilting his head as he tried to wrap his mind around what he detected from the girl. He mentally superimposed an image of Death over her, finding their similarities rather striking. Their statures were pretty much the same as were their eyes. The only difference he could find really was the pointed ears and black hair. Also admittedly, Death's humanized form was curvier, but not by much. He didn't want to linger on that thought for too long, lest Death come around again to berate him. Again…

The strange girl stared at him unblinkingly her eyes thinning slightly as if she had been presented with a particularly intriguing puzzle.

"Err...So who are you? And where am I?" Harry ventured, hoping that this unknown, powerful being didn't turn out to be hostile. The girl tilted her head as she regarded him for a bit longer before answering.

"I, am Ophis," she stated, "You, are in the Dimensional Gap, my home."

"Right…"

Another round of staring…

"What, are you?" Ophis finally asked as she glided closer, her face resting mere inches away from Harry's, "You, smell of dragon, snake, fire, magic, death and infinity…It, is confusing."

"And what are you?" a new, though recognizable, voice countered, and Harry spun to find the none-too-happy face of Death as she observed the scene. He had almost forgotten that Death had come through with him. She had likely landed in a different area. "I cannot grasp your existence, and the concept of death does not seem to apply to you. The only possibility is that you are above mortal and immortal means, a concept given form." Ophis looked back and forth between Harry and Death, her eyes confused.

"You, share the same energy as Harry. I, can sense a link, but you," Ophis said as she pointed at Death, "smell only of death and infinity." The gothic lolita paused as a light of understanding passed through her eyes. "That is who you are, Death, the concept given form."

"And you contain chaos, infinity and nothing," Death retorted, pulling Harry away from the other girl rather possessively, "And I would appreciate it if you would stay away from MY master." Ophis grinned a fanged smile as she chuckled a bit.

"I, am Ophis, the Ouroborus Dragon, the Infinite Dragon God," she mused as she watched the pair, "Harry, the Master of Death. And Death itself. How, interesting."

"Yes well, if that is all. We'd like to be on our way," Death said as she gestured to the place around them, feeling a bit put-off here. She could sense another powerful being not too far from where they were, and like Ophis, the concept of Death just couldn't seem to hold them. It quite peeved Death, reminding her too much of her brothers and sisters that liked to annoy her without end because they didn't really have to fear for ultimate retribution.

"Before, you go," Ophis began, raising her hand, and Harry dodged out of the way as something black shot out of her arms at his face. Without thinking, Harry gathered magical energy into his palms, enough to level a moderately sized town, and faced Ophis, only to find an amused grin on her face. "A, present."

Harry blinked and turned to find a good-sized, pure black snake floating in space, making its way up to his feet.

" _I am yourss to command massster,"_ the snake hissed out pleasantly, and Harry face-palmed slightly.

"Great. Just great. Another super-magical snake," he sighed, "Well, at least you aren't bloody 60 feet long and trying to kill me. _What is your name?_ " If it was possible, Harry was pretty sure that the snake would have dropped its jaws in shock. Ophis also expressed a slight degree of surpsise before settling her features again, a conniving smile on her face as she watched her spawn slither up Harry's arm, taking residence around his shoulders.

" _I am Lilith."_

" _Well nice to meet you I guess, Lilith,"_ Harry said, deciding to roll with this strange new turn of events. With an acknowledging nod, the snake seemed to sink into his shoulders, disappearing from sight. It was just another day in the life of Harry James Potter. However, Death wasn't thrilled, not in the slightest, because she understood what Ophis, a conceptual being, had just done. The Ouroboros Dragon had laid a claim upon her master, just as she had done so long ago. And she didn't like it, not one bit. "Well, if that's all, mind if I get on my way?"

Ophis nodded and with a swipe of her hand, a tear in the dimension appeared. It didn't really look any different, but Harry could tell it was there.

"You go on ahead, _Master_ ," Death said pleasantly, too pleasantly, "I just want to have a little chat with our new friend here."

"Alright. I'm sure you'll catch up with me later," Harry shrugged as he moved toward the portal, hopping through without a second thought. Moments later, the portal closed, leaving the two female concepts to stare at each other, their gazes locked as a metaphorical spark arched between them.

"Now then, we have quite a bit to discuss don't we, Ophis?"

"Yes, we do."

* * *

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* * *

Once again, Harry cursed all forms of magical travel with all of his being, but whatever he had landed on this time wasn't as bad as a concrete floor at least. It was something rather soft and…fleshy?

"Nyaaa! Ouch," a feminine voice cried out as Harry looked down and realized exactly where he had ended up, not that he was complaining too much. But he was also a gentleman, and quickly extracted himself.

"Uhh sorry about that," Harry said as he helped the woman up, blinking as his eyes rested on two strange appendages on the woman's head: cat ears. "Huh…well fancy that." Idly he also noticed the slit pupils, two tails and deadly pair of claws which were currently pointed at him.

"If you're here to kill me, you had better do a better job than that nya!" the woman screamed as she leapt back, her claws alight with powerful green energy that even scared Harry a bit. Time and space energy were not so easily wielded and even more dangerous to go up against. Magic like that was volatile and unpredictable and undoubtedly powerful.

"Woah woah woah! I don't want to kill anyone! I don't even know you," Harry hastily explained, finally taking the time to observe his newest acquaintance. She was a stunningly beautiful woman, that much he could tell, flawless skin, flowing hair and a seductive body. The extra appendages added to her already unnatural look, making her exotic looking yet fierce. But, what he also noticed were the scratches on her clothes and the tell-tale signs of battle around her, along with the bloodstain near the bottom of her exposed kimono.

"We've finally caught up to you cat! Prepare to die!" a rough voice yelled from behind, and Harry spun to find a battalion of hostile, bat-winged men with various dangerous weapons, all of which were currently being pointed his way. "Oh? And what's this? An accomplice? Perfect! We've been raring for some more blood for these past few days you damn cat!"

"Bite me! Nya!" the cat-woman yelled back venomously, sending a blast of energy at the man who dodge out of the way, albeit barely.

"Now wait just a moment…" Harry began, trying to clear up some confusion as he gestured wildly at the man who was staring at them with all intents to maim.

"Shut it! You're going to die too bastard! That's what you get for aiding Kuroka the Nekomata!" the unnamed bat-winged man roared, "Attack! Kill them both!"

Harry's shoulders drooped in resignation.

"God dammit! I hate magical travel..."


	2. Ch1: One Cat, Two Cat

Disclaimer: I own no rights to Harry Potter or Highschool DxD.

"Speaking"

" _Parsel"_

'Thoughts'

* * *

Chapter 1 - One Cat, Two Cat

The bat-winged men wasted no time in attacking the pair of abrupt allies. Flashes of steel and the whirling of blades mixed with the tell-tale sounds of explosive magic flooded the battleground. Their weapons varied greatly, from standard swords to elaborate chain scythes, and the magical attacks being sent their way was no different. Patches of frozen ground, red-hot lava pools and meter-deep trenches littered the scene with no care for the repercussions.

Harry was doing well, however. Despite the fact that he was mainly used to combating human-level opponents, his own experiences had prepared him well for an ambush tactics with superior firepower. He had reinforced his senses with a few silent spells while keeping up his own stream of attacks, alternating between simple cutting charms and blasting hexes. He didn't need to break out any of his flashier battle spells; it seemed these guys were vulnerable to losing their heads, both literally and figuratively. He took advantage of that.

While he was toying with his newest friends, Harry kept track of the cat woman, Kuroka, intent on stepping in if anything went badly. However, his fears were unfounded. She seemed to be doing just as well, if not better than he was. Her reflexes were top-tier, no doubt a result of her own training and natural lineage, and her powers were just as frightening.

She weaved around the battlefield with a predatory grace, leaving behind mirror-imaged copies of her previous self that seemed to be able to attack as well, overwhelming her opponents. Blue fire and a poisonous mist seemed her go-to weapons, first disabling her opponents before finishing them off. Any opponent that managed to overcome those defenses would be met with a nasty curse. Kuroka seemed to be very adaptable, and her air-drawn glyphs were of particular interest to Harry.

"You know," Harry said as he casually blasted one of assailants, removing his head in a spectacular spray of red, "If you were supposed to be defeating us. You're doing a pretty crappy job Mr. Bat-Wing."

"Shut up!" the leader roared, ordering more of his men to attack, many of which were slightly hesitant as they watched the one-sided slaughter take place. "I don't know who you are, but it doesn't matter! You'll die along with that blasted cat!" The Master of Death snorted.

"Why is it that every bad guy says the exact same thing," he sighed, rubbing his face in disappointment, "You'll pay for this! You'll rue the day! You'll die! Yadda yadda yadda." Harry's next response to the oncoming wave was to lazily wave his hand and incinerate them with a wave of white fire. "They don't even follow etiquette anymore! They are supposed to announce themselves with a grand laugh before monologuing for a few minutes to allow the good guys triumph! This is boring..."

"Fuck you!" the unnamed man screamed, his face very much reminding Harry of his dear, dead, Uncle Vernon. Harry grinned, faking a yawn as he casually beheaded another man who had been idiotic enough to try to sneak up on him.

"How uncouth," Harry taunted, twisting on the spot with a loud crack, catching everyone's attention, only for them to notice he was gone, "You should know better than to curse in the presence of a lady." Everyone looked up in surprise, finding the strange man floating in midair, posing as if he were sitting in an invisible chair!

"TAKE HIM OUT! I WANT THAT BASTARD DEAD!" the devil leader ordered as he himself tried to shoot Harry out of the air with his own attack. The sky lit up brilliantly as a few dozen magical beams were launched, aimed for Harry. The Master of Death looked thrilled, waving his arms as if he were a grand conductor for an orchestra. Just as the beams of magic were about to collide with him, they all veered up in a coordinated fashion, missing Harry completely.

With a grand gesture, Harry swayed his arms down, and every piece of magic that had been sent his way crashed down against their own casters with an even greater velocity.

"Curse...you!" the leader croaked out as he took a knee. With a glare at the still smiling man floating about them, he turned to one of the last remaining lackeys. "Lorand! Retreat back and send word! Tell them to gut that bitch's sister as so..."

His last words were cut off suddenly... as was half of his body, thumping at it hit the floor.

"You know...There is one thing I hate more than nearly anything and, its people who hurt children," Harry said, a cold fury in his voice as he mercilessly ended the rest of fleeing hunting troupe, smiting them from where he floated, ending the battle abruptly. Pulsing his powers to scan for any other lifeforms, Harry only found Kuroka left who was staring at him, trying to evaluate him.

"What was that nya?" Kuroka asked angrily as Harry reappeared on the ground, her claws, alight with greenish energy and pointed at his neck, "Who are you? What are you here for nya!" Harry held up his hands in surrender, hoping to calm the nervous woman who had just witnessed him take out about half of their enemies in one move.

"My name is Harry James Potter," he answered truthfully, "I'm not here for any particular reason." Kuroka growled angrily at the vague answer, pressing her claws a little closer. Harry wasn't actually concerned, considering he was immune to poisons thanks to what was in his blood, but he didn't fancy losing his head and regenerating it later.

"What is a human doing in the Underworld nya?" she continued as she took a sniff of his scent, confirming that he was indeed just a human...as ironic as that sounded. No mere human could be that powerful.

"The Underworld?" Harry asked with a raised eyebrow, looking up at the sky to find a very normal moon hanging in the blackness, "Interesting." Kuroka growled in warning. "Easy easy! I have no reason or desire to hurt you or attack you at all. I give you my word." Harry could feel a small pulse of magic bind him to that declaration, and Kuroka also seemed to feel it, easing up on her aggressive stance. Her eyes still held him in suspicion, however.

"The only reason I'm not cutting you in half is because you gave your word nya," Kuroka said bitingly, glaring at the dangerous enigma in front of her.

"Figures."

A moment of awkward silence pervaded between the two abrupt acquaintances...

"Err...Would you like some tea? I also have some delicious biscuits."

"Nya?"

Shrugging, Harry conjured two chairs and a table before reaching into his endless pouch, worn around his neck, for some refreshments, ignoring the dumbfounded look on his companion's face. With a wave, the food and drink came soaring out of the pouch, coming to rest on some hastily conjured plates and cups. Without bothering to say another word, Harry sat down. He always did need a strong cup of tea after battling.

Kuroka didn't know what to think. Carefully, she sat herself down on the plush seat, finding it solid and sturdy. It was actually real! She had never heard of any sort of power that could spontaneously create things. It was frightening and amazing.

"Do help yourself," Harry said as he took in his surroundings more carefully, taking a few mental notes about the apparent appearance of the Underworld. It was beautiful in some sense and rather normal.

"I'm not really..." Kuroka began before her stomach protested, rather loudly, much to her embarrassment. Harry chuckled a bit, but didn't comment. He knew she must have been on the run for the last few days.

"Like I said. Help yourself. Is there anything you wanted in particular?"

Kuroka opened her mouth to ask for something, but abruptly shut it, feeling foolish. She hadn't taken anything to eat or drink yet because she was still suspicious. This had to be some elaborate ploy right? There was a catch somewhere!

"I didn't poison it or anything you know. And it's rather rude to not enjoy tea when someone invites you. Though...maybe you don't really like English tea. Water? Lemonade? Milk?" Harry asked.

"Milk nya!" Kuroka blurted out instinctively, clamping her mouth shut afterward with her hands, blushing madly at her faux pas. Harry chuckled, but nodded as he fetched a bottle of milk out of his pouch, feeling rather proud for taking one of Herminone's many lessons on preparedness to heart.

The jug floated over to Kuroka's side of the table and deposited itself in front of her. She took it gingerly, her face morphing into amazement.

"What?"

"It's still cold nya..."

Harry smiled as he took a sip of his tea, watching as the woman began to carefully drink, his face tinting with happiness. Kuroka carefully picked up one of the English biscuits, nibbling on one end. Suddenly, the entire plate of biscuits was gone. Harry didn't comment, and simply summoned another plate, replicating a few inside of his pouch for good measure.

They snacked in silence, but Harry was glad it wasn't an unbearable, uncomfortable quiet. After her second plate of snacks, Kuroka seemed to be more relaxed. Food always was a good negotiator.

"Well, as I was saying. My name is Harry James Potter," Harry introduced himself again, "Wizard and Traveler." Kuroka was contemplative, debating her next course of action. So far, Harry hadn't done anything against her, and her instincts had detected no lies or ill intentions.

"Kuroka the Nekomata," she replied softly, "One of the last Nekoshou nya."

"It is nice to meet you Kuroka," the Master of Death said, "Just out of curiosity, you're an Asian-based creature right? Youkai if my mind remembers correctly."

"You're right nya," she confirmed, "I'm originally from Japan. My family..." At that, her ears drooped and her tails fell down. Harry could tell there was a very fresh wound he had unintentionally opened. However, he remembered something that the dead leader of her hunters had said.

"They have your sister don't they?" he asked quietly, noting her stiff posture and the smell of salt in the air. He sighed but was determined. Harry knew what he would be doing today.

"I...I..." Kuroka stammered, her mind in turmoil as she thought of her sister that she had unintentionally abandoned. Shirone would be treated as a criminal in her place. It would be her fault if her sister were killed!

"Why were they hunting you anyway?" Harry asked, hoping to get some more of the background behind the situation he found himself in. Kuroka growled, hissing in disgust.

"My, _master_ ," she spat, voice full of venom, "wanted to...hurt Shirone nya. He tried to force me to leave so he could have his way. I refused and overpowered him, killing him in the process. Now I'm classified as a SS-class stray devil as of two days ago nya."

"So...a fugitive huh?" Harry said with a chuckle, ignoring the stiffening posture of his guest, "How odd. You'd be the second, innocent fugitive I've helped in my life."

"What nya?" Kuroka asked in shock, peering up at Harry with undisguised surprise, "Why...why would you help me? I'm a criminal nya! I did kill my master. The entire Underworld is looking for me! You'd be killed too nya!"

"You know," Harry said as he stood up and patted her shoulder in sympathy, "I don't really care. I know what its like to live in the shadows of lies. Plus, your old master sounds like he deserved it. Your sister is all you got left, right?" Kuroka nodded. "Well I'm not going to just stand by and let you lose her. Family is important after all. And I firmly believe in doing the right thing, even if the world is against you."

Kuroka blinked, unable to believe this man in front of her. He just seemed so sure! How could he fearlessly declare ridiculous things like that? Was he stupid or just arrogant? But , honestly, she didn't care. She laughed, giggling at the silliness of it all.

"What are you? Some Hero?" she teased, a smile on her face, the first over the last few days.

"Nah! Nothing so boring. I gave up on trying to be a hero a long time ago. I'm just Harry," he said simply as he offered his hand to the sitting woman. With a wave of his hand, he repaired her clothes and applied a few healing spells, waving off her awe.

"So how about we go and save your sister?"

Slowly, Kuroka nodded and took his hand.

* * *

A∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞Ω

* * *

Shirone was scared. She was alone in the darkness of her cell, wondering why. Why did Kuroka do it? Why did she leave her? Where was her sister? She didn't understand! Kuroka promised she would always be there. She promised her!

She shivered as a fierce wind blew through the magically reinforced bars in her cell. She huddled closer to herself, imagining herself being enveloped in the warmth of her sister. Kuroka used to do that when she got cold. Why was she being held here? She was just seven years old. She didn't understand. Where was her sister?

"Shirone the Nekomata!" a gravely voice yelled, banging on the heavy, reinforced door before it was swung open violently. A large man stepped through the doorway, his eyes apathetic. "Stand."

The young nekomata shivered, but did as she was told, knowing she had no chance to disobey. She wasn't strong like Kuroka. Immediately, magic-suppressing shackles were placed around her arms and legs, ensuring her powerlessness.

"You have been sentenced," the man continued without any feeling, "For the crimes your sister, Kuroka the Nekomata, SS-class stray devil, has committed against the Underworld, you have been sentenced to death. Your execution will take place in ten minutes. Make your peace."

Shirone froze. Execution? She...she was going to die! She wanted to scream, cry, yell, or even beg, but... nothing but blankness came. She didn't know how to express her despair as a frost settled over her heart. Why her? Why Kuroka? Why did she leave her to this fate? Why did Kuroka betray her!

She felt something settle in her heart, an ice that creeped into her and threatened to break her. No! She had to fight it! Shirone knew that Kuroka loved her. She was her sister, her only family left. She would come for her. She was sure of it!

"Come! Your fate is already decided," the man said as he returned, prodding the young girl forward into the blinding light of the early morning. Shirone squinted, her heart sinking as she came face to face with her executioners and her grave.

"Feel proud that you are to die in front of the entire Underworld. Your death will warn against betrayers and killers," the man said bluntly, "It is an honor to die in the Colosseum in front of even the Maous themselves."

The white nekomata couldn't believe it. All of these people had shown up this early in the morning for one reason, which was to watch her die. They had even placed her in the battle arena meant for dangerous criminals, modeled after the one on Earth. How could they be so cruel? Her heart cried out in desperation and despair.

If all the Maous were here, there was no chance that her sister could save her. She was going to die here. As she was lead to the block, her mind whirled in grim realization. Her sister wasn't coming. Her sister had betrayed her. Kuroka broke her promise...

"Ahem!" the voice of the current Lucifer, Sirzechs of the Gremory clan, greeted, calling for silence to settle over the audience. His face was strange, as if he were trying to apologize for something. "Now I know that we were all here for an execution this morning. What has lead to this day was tragic, but I feel that this is really rather unee..."

Suddenly, his impromptu speech was interrupted as a giant explosion rocked the Collosseum, and an entire side wall, which had been magically reinforced so that nothing short of the full power of a Maou could breech it, shattered like glass.

The entire stadium descended into pandemonium, craning their necks to see and hear the cause of the destruction. Shirone felt her heart soar as she recognized one of them.

"Ow! Ow! Ow! That hurts Kuroka!"

"You idiot nya! We were supposed to do this with stealth! The plan wasn't to blow anything up!"

"Bahh! Stealth's soooooo boring though. I'd rather just go in there guns-blazing. Like they do in all those awesome action movies."

"They're movies for a reason idiot! What possessed you to think that blasting through the Colleseum's walls was a good idea nya!"

"I thought it would be cool?"

Suddenly the dust cleared, showcasing Kuroka and an unknown man standing upon the pile of rubble they had just made.

"HELLO UNDERWORLD! How are you doing this fine morning?" the strange man yelled, his voice magically amplified to deafening levels. His voice alone sent shock waves to ripple across the Colosseum, knocking out a few spectators and causing others to received massive headaches. "Hate to break up this lovely party, but we do have an invitation. I believe Kuroka is rather famous already."

In response, dozens of hidden guards flew out of the audience, descending down on the duo, one who was face palming while the other was whistling innocently to himself.

Sirzechs sat back down, his face contemplative. He stared down at the strange man, sensing something off about him. On the surface, he seemed lackadaisical and unassuming, but underneath, Sirzechs could feel a current of power that raged like the a vengeful hurricane, able to destroy all in its path should it be unleashed. This man had power on a whole different level than his guards.

Sirzechs wanted to reassure himself that in a one on one combat situation, he would be the victor, but something inside told him otherwise. His instincts shied away from battle with the man, and if there was something that Sirzechs had learned to trust over his many centuries, it was his instincts.

"Identify yourself intruder," one of Sirzech's guard ordered as he began to gather magical energy, "You are found in the company of Kuroka the Nekomata, SS class stray devil. Surrender, and we may show you mercy."

"Mercy?" Harry said, his eyes empty and cold as he lifted his finger and pointed it at the guard. Without warning, the guard was sent careening into the wall, all the way across the Colleseum, instantly taken out. "You speak of mercy when you threaten to execute a child? You dare to think that you have the right to give something such as mercy?" With another blast of magic, all of the surrounding guards were thrown back violently.

"You know," the Master of Death said slowly, his eyes scanning the crowd, getting a feel of their thoughts with passive legilimency, "I had thought I had seen the last of presumptuous blood fanatics that immediately assumed who was guilty and who was not, based on their birth alone."

"You fools believe this woman to be guilty. You believe she murdered her master out of uncontrolled spite," Harry spat out, the situation reminding him of his early years, "You have gathered no facts and conducted no investigation only to condemn her for protecting her family from a child-raping piece of scum."

The crowd flinched at that, and a wave of confusion spread throughout the crowd as that revelation impacted them.

Sirzechz frowned. His story was definitely different than what his very distant cousin's maids had relayed. Even devils had limits for their debauchery nowadays. They had adopted anti-rape laws decades ago, mainly because purity was a high-priced commodity. Overtime however, rape had become socially unfavorable, even in the devil community. Convicted rapists were punished severely.

However, he could not show weakness here, especially in front of his people. In front of them was an invader that had injured his men and defied their laws. He could not let that pass.

"Seize him," Sirzechz said simply, "But capture them alive." Harry smirked, having noticed the play. This was why he hated politics.

Hundreds of devils descended upon Harry and Kuroka and hovered in the air for a few moments, hoping to instill a sense of hopelessness in the duo. It had the opposite effect, however. All Harry saw was free target practice.

" _Torquemis Ignari,_ " Harry said as he flicked his hand, a whip of fire following, slashing away a dozen or so guards without warning. "How about we make a bet Kuroka."

"What kind nya?" Kuroka asked, reminding herself to thank Harry later for orchestrating her potential release. It had been a genius move to publicly announce her story.

"Whoever takes out more of these guys has to take the other out for dinner. No limits," he said with a cheeky grin, earning a giggle out of the black nekomata.

"Your method for asking women out on dates is pretty strange nya," she responded as she jumped into the air, unleashing clouds of paralyzing gas, "You're on nya."

What followed was pure chaos.

Kuroka weaved through the elite guard, feeling stronger and faster than ever, thanks to the strange empowering spells that Harry had placed on her earlier. Her reactions were faster. Her punches were deadlier. But what she found the most amazing was that her magic's potency had increased almost twofold.

She cleaved through the cloud of devils, seeing her sister ahead who was watching her with tear-filled eyes. Kuroka would not fail here. She couldn't! She would fight until she was sure her sister was safe.

Barreling through another line of guards, Kuroka managed to jump onto the executioners platform, but froze in fright at what she met there.

"Let. Her. Go," Kuroka hissed as she bared her claws and fangs at the man who held her sister's neck at axepoint. Her feet were dangling off the ground, but what gnawed at her the most was the pure, terror in her sister's eyes.

"I am the Warden. No prisoner had ever escaped from my jail. She will die as was sentenced," he said blankly beginning the motions to slash open Shirone's neck.

"Onee-san!" Shirone cried out as she closed her eyes tightly, praying for a miracle. Suddenly, she felt herself drop to the floor, her head still intact. Scampering out of the way, she jumped into her sister's arms, bawling her eyes out. Somehow, she was alive.

"Hmm...Damn. I think I actually lost," Harry said with a good-natured smile as he held up a struggling bunny wielding a toy axe, "Oh well." Kuroka stared. The black nekomata rubbed her eyes just to make sure she was seeing things correctly.

"Did you just turn him into a bunny? A bunny wearing a tutu with a toy axe nya?" Kuroka deadpanned, earning an unrepentant grin from Harry. In fact, now that she took the time to notice it, all around her were dancing animals in various embarrassing outfits, performing classical ballet.

"Of course. I needed a ballerina for the Swan Lake production I was putting on," he joked as he punted the rabbit into the middle of the dancing animals, bewitching him to follow along with his fellow performers. There were chipmunks, squirrels, raccoons, birds and dozens of other animals, all dancing. "Alright boys! From the top! This better be absolutely perfect or else you'll be losing your heads!"

"You know what...I don't care anymore nya," she replied with a roll of her eyes, having given up on the strange mystery that was Harry. She instead turned to the shivering bundle in her arms. Wiping away her own tears, Kuroka patted her sister's head in comfort. "Are you okay Shirone-chan? Does anything hurt?"

Shirone shook her head, burying herself in deeper into her sister's embrace.

"You came."

"I promised you didn't I?"

Sirzechz would have lied if he said he hadn't teared up a bit at the scene, but he was more concerned about the strange man Kuroka had found an ally in. He had tried to gather some sort of intel on his abilities, but had come up blank.

He had just displayed too many varied powers. Magical fire and animated golems had pummeled his elite guards into the ground. He had also briefly displayed control over other elements, lightning especially. Multicolored blasts of light had torn through his men's magically resistant and physically resistant armor like a hot knife to butter. His hand to hand had also been excellent, displaying a mastery that few could possess. There was no sacred gear that could do what he had just witnessed. The man was trained and experienced. All he could speculate was that the man possessed the power to manipulate reality to his will, a possibility that scared the daylights out of Sirzechz.

"Are we all good to go now, Kuroka?" Harry asked as he walked over, placing a hand on her shoulder. She nodded, opening her mouth to say something. "Don't worry about it. I told you didn't I? I help people." The black cat closed her mouth and nodded, smiling beautifully in response. "Think of a safe place for me will ya? Hopefully not somewhere in the Underworld."

Kuroka didn't understand, but had seen enough to trust Harry at this point. She knew of one place where she and Shirone would be safe.

"Got the place?"

She nodded. Suddenly, Harry twisted on the spot, disappearing with the two nekomata in a quiet pop, leaving behind a stunned Underworld and a ruined Colosseum.

Sirzechz sighed and face-palmed as he watched his men-turned-cute-furry-animals dance with perfect synchronization and form, as the sounds of the Nut Cracker were being played by a self-running phonograph. This was definitely not how he had expected this whole ordeal to turn out.

"Am I not getting a rook today nii-sama?" his sister, Rias asked with a pout. He groaned painfully, knowing what was coming next. There were two things he feared above all else in all the lands.

One was paperwork, which he knew he would soon be flooded with.

Two was an upset Rias.

"NII-SAMA!"

He would have taken the paperwork any day.

* * *

A∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞Ω

* * *

Unceremoniously, Harry, Kuroka and Shirone found themselves tumbling to the ground as the side-apparition ended. Normally, exiting the magically created wormhole didn't result in such an ungraceful landing, but there had been some strange magical interference that Harry had forcibly punched through.

"Remind me to never do that again," Kuroka said as she struggled to her feet, her face looking green. Shirone wasn't faring well either, apparent by her arms clutching her stomach.

"Sorry. Apparition is usually pretty tough for first-timers," Harry said, looking around from where he sat, wondering where Kuroka had chosen to hide.

It was a beautiful place, a picture of traditional Japanese tranquility. They seemed to have ended up on top of some shrine. He could see hundreds of steps that led to a small town below, flanked on both sides by pink cherry blossom trees. He could sense hundreds of lifeforms down there, none the wiser to their sudden appearance. What he also found was that the temple sat atop a very powerful leyline, saturating the air and surrounding area with magic. Absentmindedly, Harry tilted his head up backwards to find a large, traditional Japanese house behind them.

However, his gaze was soon met by a pair of suspicious golden eyes framed by flowing locks of the same color. Her attire was a traditional miko outfit, red and white, but atop her head were a pair of twitching yellow, fox ears. Nine tails also peeked around her frame, blue flames dancing around them.

"My my, would you care to explain to me why I find a human and two nekoshou suddenly appearing out of nowhere in my lands?" Harry gulped.

"Uhhh...magic?"

Kuroka and Shirone face-palmed.


	3. Ch2: Are You My?

Disclaimer: I own no rights to Harry Potter or Highschool DxD.

"Speaking"

" _Parsel"_

'Thoughts'

* * *

 **A/N**

Thanks to everyone who has read, faved and followed. It was quite surprising and makes me feel really happy.

Now there were some concerns, mainly with Harry's power levels and other "apparent" continuity factors. And while I understand some of those concerns, I just have to remind everyone that this is only chapter two. There's a lot that has yet to be revealed, including more details of Harry's last 100 years or so.

Now concerning Harry's powers: He's not all powerful naturally. I don't plan on making him invincible or just have the ability to instantly destroy people with a single thought. You'll have to remember that Harry never lived in a world where Gods were actually real. He never had to deal with a person/creature that could destroy an entire landmass on a whim. Appropriately, while he may have the energy and magic to fight on par with strong beings, he's just not experienced enough.

A wizard's main strengths lie in preparedness and flexibility. He's had some experience with fighting non-humans, but the devils he had swept aside were small fry and also underestimated him. If he were faced with a really powerful character that far outpaced his ability to follow and track, he would lose hands down. He would put up a fight for sure, but actual combat isn't Harry's forte. And while he wouldn't die, losing doesn't always mean dying.

Anyways, Thanks again to everyone. Hope you enjoy.

-Woona the Cat

* * *

Chapter 2 – Are You My?

Apparently, some people just didn't appreciate funny one-liners, if the orbs of blue foxfire that were inching closer to his face were any indication. Harry thought it had been pretty good one.

"Yasaka-sama! Please forgive this idiot nya," Kuroka pleaded, grabbing Harry's head abruptly and flipping him around while forcing him into a deep bowing position. She and Shirone also bowed their heads low, hoping to placate the agitated youkai leader whose tails were flicking rather sharply.

Yasaka was understandably a bit peeved. She had returned from town a few moments ago, having gone to fetch something for her five-year old daughter when out of nowhere, a condensed magical signature punched through the protective barriers like a cannon to glass. She had immediately gone on high alert, fearing that her home and more importantly, her daughter were under attack.

The nine-tailed fox had expected to find at least a dozen enemies to fight, judging the strength of the magical attack as appropriate for about two dozen, average, high-class devils. Her realm was coveted for their natural abilities after all, and it wasn't uncommon these days to hear of devils beguiling youkai into their peerages as they made for extremely strong additions. There had been occasional raids in the past that had stopped with the current regime, but Yasaka made it a point to always be prepared. Some devils would still go to any lengths to get what they wanted.

Imagine her surprise and irritation when she came face to face with one human and two nekomata that seemed to materialize out of thin air, destroying the protections in the process.

Now, Yasaka had lived for a very, very long time in Kyoto's Youkai Territory, having ruled and governed her people for many centuries. Naturally, her power was nothing to scoff at. She could tap into the leylines themselves that crisscrossed her lands, able to use them as raw magic power to augment her own already impressive strength. It was a talent that no one in her long line had ever possessed so proficiently. She had used her abilities to bolster the region's defenses.

However, those barriers had been hundreds of years old, older than she by far, having been there for generations upon generations of ruling kyuubi. They were reinforced differently with every subsequent generation and were improved upon constantly. Yasaka was considered the strongest of her line so far, and her many additions had made them essentially impenetrable...or so she had thought.

The protections had crumbled like sandcastles faced with a rampaging child...

To further add insult to injury, she could identify the magical signature that hung off the man; it was the same as the magic that had pierced her barriers.

Her pride was a bit hurt as a result. The entire youkai territory in Kyoto relied on that barrier to keep them hidden and safe from outside influences such as the three factions and the humans. The failing of the barriers was a reflection of her own failure to protect her people as they relied directly on the ruling kyuubi at the time. To think that her powers, equated as being on par with an ultimate class devil if not better, coupled with a near limitless supply of mana had been so easily defeated was upsetting and frightening. With the barrier down, her people were in danger, exposed to the world without their knowing.

And this man had made a joke of it all!

"I cannot," Yasaka said simply, her voice cold as she regarded the man in front of her, "He has exposed my people to the dangers of invaders. With the barrier gone, my lands are unprotected as are my people. Yet, he takes the time to joke at the situation."

"Crap. So that was what that magical interference was," Harry muttered as he stood up straight, bowing low of his own accord this time in apology, "I take responsibility for my error and apologize sincerely. It was not my intention to place your subjects in danger. Please allow me to fix my error." Yasaka blinked in surprise, her tails and foxfire receding in response. She had half expected the human male to attempt to pass the blame, ignore it completely or even run. His straightforward response was refreshing, albeit ridiculous.

"Your response is noted and appreciated, but I don't believe anything can be done. Even I would not be able to place a barrier up fast enough to cover the entire territory. At best it would take months to re-establish them, and they would be rudimentary at best," Yasaka responded with a heavy frown, "Those protections were nearly three millenniums old, strengthened with every passing generation. Now, my people's hope lies in disguising themselves among the normal humans as they did long ago."

"Er...well, would you mind if I tried anyway?" he asked awkwardly, feeling really guilty for what he had inadvertently done. Harry was sure he could fix this. After all, how hard could it be to replace millennium old wards that stretched on for miles and miles... "Okay...might be a bit difficult."

"If not outright impossible," the nine-tailed fox retorted with a sigh, closing her eyes to center herself again. It wouldn't do to get upset at this man any longer. Her anger and worry wouldn't solve the problem.

"Doesn't mean I couldn't do it," Harry said resolutely, slashing his hand through the air as a strange knobbed stick appeared in his hand. For a moment, he stared at the instrument in hand, the legendary Elder Wand. He had not needed to call upon its power in many moons now, but it sang in happiness at being held once again by its rightful master.

"You are a Magician?" Yasaka asked, watching the wand with a wary glare.

"I have never called myself a Magician. I have always been called a Wizard, Sorcerer by some. I don't quite understand what the term Magician implies here. You'll have to explain to me that one later Kuroka," Harry said as he mentally prepared a standard list of protective wards to cast.

"Irregardless," the Kyoto leader continued with a fruitless sigh, "Only a Maou or Archangel may have enough raw power to cast a protective barrier around all of my territory. Even then, it would not last longer than perhaps a week at best. Your efforts are appreciated, but futile. It is impossible."

"Meh. Impossible and I don't really get along too well," Harry said as he began to channel magic into his wand, slowly walking around in a circle as he went, "I hope you don't mind me taking a bit of the leyline's magic here. It would make this much easier."

Before Yasaka could reply, pulses of magic began to emanate from the man who began muttering various phrases while pointing his wand at the sky. Her eyes widened in shock as she felt the leylines begin to drain at a pace that even she had never managed. Taping into one of the natural magical veins of the Earth was no feat to be undertaken by weaker beings. If the body could not handle the magic, they could instantly vaporize on the spot. Yet, he was having no visible trouble. In fact, he looked like he was at ease, almost giddy.

Magic potency was based on two things. One was raw power reserves, and the other was the ability to channel it effectively. She could safely say that the sheer amount of magical energy that this man was channeling would have burnt her from the inside out after twenty or so seconds. This 'Wizard' kept going and going though, showing no signs of pain or fatigue.

"Muggle repelling. Scrying obscurement. External tech blocking. Presence concealment..." Harry continued to mutter, shooting spell after spell into the air as he continued to walk in a circle. Once he had completed the route, he began to trace it again, until he had done so seven times. On his final turn, he looked towards the center of his circle and muttered a long incantation that Yasaka could only identify as partially Latin, partially Celtic and partially Japanese?

Once he finished, however, Yasaka could not suppress the shiver that went through her as the magic circle's power expanded in all directions. It felt like it was assessing her yet comforting her at the same time. It was a bizarre and somewhat intimate feeling. She also sensed its link to the magical flows underneath her lands, sustaining itself on the near-infinite amount of magic and enforcing its purpose.

"Quickly, now," Harry said as he continued to point the wand at the circle which was beginning to glow with an otherworldly shine, "I need your name. The official way you introduce yourself if you were to face another leader."

"Excuse me?"

"We have no time. Hurry!"

Yasaka didn't know what to think. However, she noticed the strain slowly appearing on the Wizard's face and nodded. She wouldn't take the risk of him losing control. This much magic would wipe out the entire region in an instant, possibly all of Japan. She just couldn't figure out how much power was being drawn out right now as it was just beyond her.

"Very well. I am Yasaka the Kyuubi, Leader of the Kyoto Youkai Faction," she said formally, feeling something in the air acknowledge her statement. Harry nodded, his eyes still focused.

"I, Harry James Potter, the Master of Death, do hereby transfer right of these wards to Yasaka the Kyuubi, Leader of the Kyoto Youkai Faction. So, I have declared it, so mote it be," Harry intoned powerfully, the glow dissipating, and Yasaka suddenly felt it as a hundred different spells flooded her mind, causing her to stagger to her knees at the sheer magnitude of what she just experienced in that one moment.

Her eyes widened in shock as she felt a new barrier, wards as Harry had called them, settle in her mind. She wobbled in place as her mind began to try to process it. It was painful, but after about fifteen minutes the pain began to recede and what she found was astonishing. There were magics she had never even heard of before contained in these wards, as the man had called them, and as she explored this new connection, Yasaka could feel it still extending far and wide, stopping in just the right places where there were even fringe youkai. After a few minutes, the barrier stabilized itself, becoming self-sustaining thanks to the leylines underneath the temple.

"Impossible..." Yasaka breathed out, her mind still processing the new information as she continued to explore the complexity that was inlaid into the protections. There was no doubt in her mind that this new barrier matched if not outright exceeded the old one. It would take her decades if not hundreds of years to decipher what these spells were meant to do and how they were performed. "How..."

"Like I said, I like to defy odds," Harry said with a smile before he sat down and closed his eyes, "Now if you don't mind...I'm going to take a quick nap." Without another word, he closed his eyes on the concrete and promptly passed out.

* * *

Kuroka the Nekomata had thought she had seen a lot of things in her short twenty six years of life. Her parents had died when Shirone was very young, consumed in a magical fire that had burnt their peaceful village to the ground and much of their species to death. She had seen cruelty at the hands of man and at the hands of devils, nearly one and the same to the point where she would not have been able to identify one from the other at some point.

All she had treasured in the world was Shirone, her one saving light in a world that seemed so bleak and full of evil. If her little sister had been executed, Kuroka shuddered at the thought; she would have likely gone mad, killing everything in her path until she too drew her last breath.

Her world had been on the cusp of destruction, but one man had pulled her back and saved not only her, but her precious sister as well. It was nothing short of a miracle in her eyes.

But, as she stared at the peacefully slumbering face of one Harry James Potter, she couldn't help but want to question him. There was so much she didn't know about him, his origins, his family, his purpose. At some points, he seemed like an overgrown child and at others, an aged and worn face seemed to take its place, only to be replaced by determination soon after.

He was a walking enigma. She knew that none of the Maous had recognized him, and Yasaka certainly hadn't known who he was. However, he was powerful, almost godlike in his abilities. The black nekomata knew she hadn't even seen the true depth of what Harry could accomplish should he feel like it.

She sighed, softly petting her sister's head as she slept peacefully, her ears twitching happily at the attention. Then there had been that strange title that put her on edge. What was ' the Master of Death?'

"They say each sigh takes a second of your life my dear," Yasaka said with a kind smile as she sat across from the black nekomata.

"It's been a rough few days nya," she said quietly, tenderly combing her hands through Shirone's hair, scratching the base of her ears as she went, "I'm surprised I haven't dropped either."

"Too much to think about then?" the nine-tailed fox deduced, turning to her right where one of her guests lay, her expression contemplative. "You've found a good man here." Kuroka blushed, looking away in embarrassment.

"I've barely known him for less than a day. We aren't like that nya," she said, her pink face telling Yasaka all she needed to know. The wise kyuubi smiled kindly.

"Not yet. But you see the possibility. You seem quite taken with him already," Yasaka pointed out bluntly, studying the man who slept peacefully. It was hard to match up the vast presence she had felt earlier with this seemingly ordinary man, a human man. "I'm not surprised either. He has strength and will, two things that youkai value. Yet, I sense a deep sadness in his heart, a sorrow that he has carried for a long time."

"And you'd be right," a new voice said as the two awake youkai turned to find a girl with bright white hair and slate gray eyes standing behind them. Her stature was small and seemingly innocent, but behind that facade, an unfeeling, endless abyss existed. Yasaka and Kuroka did their best to remain composed, but their instincts screamed in protest, telling them to do one thing and one thing only. Run.

"Death I presume," Yasaka said simply, her posture stiff as she silently prayed she hadn't done anything to offend the entity in front of her. Death was quiet, her eyes evaluating her Master's new acquaintances.

"Hmph. You two are much stronger than I believed you would be," she said with approval, and suddenly, the literal aura of Death disappeared, allowing the two nekomata to finally breathe again. Without another word, she stalked over to Harry's bedside, kneeling down slowly while placing her hand on his forehead, muttering curses underneath her breath for having a real bonafide idiot for a master. "Oh stop feigning sleep already you big baby!" With that, she socked him right in the stomach, causing a loud screech of pain to reverberate throughout the room.

"Geez..." Harry wheezed as he sat up, groaning, "You could at least hold back. Shesh. I'm a sick patient here you she-devil."

"All I see is a moron," Death said unrepentantly, flicking Harry's forehead, "I leave you alone for less than 24 hours and then, you get yourself mixed up in ridiculous situations, one after the other. I can't believe you fainted like a little girl after just channeling a bit of magic."

"In my defense, I did travel through a dimensional portal through the Dimensional Gap into the Underworld only to fight two pretty big battles to save a girl. Then I apparated here while breaking through century old wards only to replace them completely later. Cut me some slack!" Harry groaned, laying down pitifully, doing his best to play the sympathy card.

"Or you were just ignoring the obvious and being stupid," Death said as she stood over her Master, reaching her arms out to grab something around his shoulders. With an over dramatized yank, a great black snake appeared out of thin air. Needless to say, the other two youkai were quite alarmed, if the growls and raised claws were anything to go by. Their expressions were even more confused when a bunch of hissing filled the room, and not just from the snake. Shirone stirred in her sleep, blearily opening her eyes to the strange scene before her.

" _How rude!"_ Lilith hissed as she rearranged herself around Harry's shoulders, glaring fearlessly at Death, _"If you don't mind, I was doing some important work here."_

"Like draining Harry's magic for the last few hours?" Death said sweetly, her eyes menacing as she itched to cleave the snakes head in two, "Restoring those protections should have been simple. No thanks to you, leech."

" _Jealousy doesn't suit you,"_ Lilith responded with a smug hiss, _"Though, I suppose you're just bitter that you can't drape yourself all over the Master."_ Death promptly went scarlet at that, her aura increasing tenfold as she glared at the embodiment of Ophis. Her hands twitched as she imagined strangling Lilith.

" _Please stop antagonizing Death, Lilith,"_ Harry said with a not-so-hidden grin. Sometimes, Death really was such a child. It was adorable. _"Have you finished what you were doing by the way? I felt the drain when we left the Gap, but didn't mention it."_

" _The bonding is taking much longer than I or Ophis expected, but I will be finished by tonight,"_ Lilith replied with a nod.

" _If you don't mind me asking. What will happen when the bonding finishes?"_ he questioned.

" _I'm not sure. Ophis can confer blessings to those she finds interesting, but they are always different. It's a part of her chaotic nature. We'll just have to see,"_ Lilith said simply, _"Now if you don't mind, I'd like to get back to my work without jealous concepts trying to tear me out of my new home."_

"Bite me," Death hissed, glaring daggers at the snake, and Lilith responded in turn before wordlessly sinking into Harry's skin once again. Harry sighed, reaching his hand out and patting his partner wordlessly, hoping to placate her.

"I'll make it up to you alright?"

"Hmph! You owe me big for even allowing that snake anywhere near you."

"Yes yes. I am truly blessed to have such a kind-hearted mistress. Please forgive this wayward servant for being such a hassle."

"And you'd had better remember it."

"What was that nya!" Kuroka asked abruptly, interrupting the pair's banter, as she hugged her sister close, her instincts having gone haywire just a moment ago. "What is that giant black snake doing in your body? It's power was crazy high nya!" The black nekomata had just briefly been able to grasp the snake's aura before it overwhelmed her.

"Oh...Ophis said it was a present," Harry responded simply, shrugging his shoulders, looking up to find the dumbfounded faces on his companions, "Err...Something tells me that it's not common to hear something like that."

"That is quite the understatement Potter-san," Yasaka said with an evaluating and cautious stare, "The Infinite Dragon God does not give away blessings so lightly. No one has seen the Infinite Dragon God in a very long time either. And Ophis is regarded as the strongest materialized being in our known universe. The name itself invokes fear and respect."

"She seemed normal enough to me," Harry said with a confused expression, "Maybe a little lonely, but Ophis was nice enough."

"Your definition of 'normal' is completely broken," Kuroka deadpanned, earning an agreeing nod from Shirone and Yasaka, "I don't even know what to think now. You were already freaky strong before nya. Now that you have Ophis' blessing..." The cat sighed, wanting to really take a nap. The Master of Death simply shrugged.

"Crazy things happen to me. I don't think meeting Ophis was such a big deal. Reminded me a little bit of Death actually," the Master of Death added.

"Don't compare me to that gothic loli," Death said simply with a frown, folding her arms, "My figure is much better than hers!" Yasaka and Kuroka both blinked blankly at that before giggling behind their hands. It seemed that women, even if they were concepts given form, were still going to act like women. The black nekomata just couldn't resist adding her own barb. She was confident Harry wouldn't let her get annihilated...she hoped.

"Hmm...You're a bit on the short side though nya," Kuroka snickered, as she provocatively bent over, giving a very clear view of her chest, "In a few places too." The room suddenly seemed to grow dark as the gravity in the room increased tenfold.

With a roar, Death leaped at the cat, her eyes intent on murder. Unfortunately, Harry had quickly grabbed her arm and pulled her into his chest, holding her back as best he could. She continued to struggle in place, but Harry held firm, rolling his eyes as he restrained the struggling Death.

"Please don't antagonize her as well Kuroka," Harry said, continuing to hold onto his partner, knowing she'd calm down in a bit, "She's a bit... sensitive..." Kuroka couldn't help it, and she began laughing outright, ignoring the murderous aura that was being directed at her.

"Can I kill her? Please."

"No."

"I'll forgive the last favor. No, I'll forgive all of them."

"No."

Death pouted.

Yasaka couldn't help but grin, amused by Death and Harry. These two were perhaps as strong as Ophis in raw presence. Death certainly was up there in terms of power, and Harry was not too far. However, despite their power, they seemed like ordinary people.

"You two act more like an old married couple than master and servant," Yasaka commented innocently, and the nine-tailed fox knew she had hit the mark perfectly with that statement.

"W..W...W..WHAT! AS IF I'D BE MARRIED TO THIS DUMBASS!" Death yelled as she continued to struggle in place, her close proximity to Harry not helping her control her own blush. The Master of Death wouldn't let her go through, a mischievous grin on his face.

"Hmm...doesn't sound too bad to me," he replied innocently, and Harry was rewarded with a silenced Death, her mouth opening and closing mechanically as no sounds came out, stunned speechless. Mentally, he filed away her gaping, red face for later on his victory tally. Sometimes she really could be cute, but Harry knew she was going to be rather sour about it for a while. She hated being embarassed, and he imagined she hated it more when others saw it. With a small chuckle, he loosed his grip.

"I hate you all," she said squeaked as she buried her face into Harry's chest, not wanting to face anyone at the moment. It wasn't fair! She was Death! Mortals were supposed to cower in fear. Stupid snakes. Stupid well-endowed cats! Stupid Harry! The Master of Death smiled as he rubbed her back soothingly, knowing she would be getting her revenge eventually. It was totally worth it.

"If we're done teasing my dear partner for the day," Harry said, feeling Death headbutt him at the remark, "Let's talk about what is going to happen now. I assume Kuroka told you about what happened in the Underworld Yasaka-san."

"Yes," the kyuubi responded with a sudden hard expression. Kuroka's story had reminded her of why she was wary of the devils. There was too much history; history she had lived and breathed. "They have asked me for sanctuary."

While she did not have the desire to go to war with the devils, their race was not looked upon favorably by any youkai. It was widely known that youkai were some of the few Earth-born supernaturals. They possessed potential that was nearly unmatched, generally, among all the species on Earth. That made them prime material for peerages.

Even while the open attacks to her people were largely gone, stealth methods to acquire youkai as peerage members remained. To many devils still, youkai were nothing more but exotic pieces to be collected and used. They were treated as such in devil society where, to the majority, birth and blood was what defined you.

"She explained her circumstances very thoroughly, though her tale seemed to be rather focused on you as well," she continued, a pleased expression on her face. It was rare to find people in the supernatural world like Harry. Everyone had an agenda, something they wanted in exchange.

"Well, he did save me too nya," Kuroka said with a bright smile, "And of course my little Shirone-chan."

"Of course he did," Death replied, mumbling into her Master's shirt, "Harry's always had a bad case of 'save who you can' syndrome. One of his old friends called it his 'saving-people' thing." Harry chuckled, embarrassed. "It tends to make him overdo things or forget about his own limitations, because he's an idiot."

"I feel as if there's an implied insult there," Harry quipped, earning another whack from his partner. He turned to the nine-tailed fox and bowed his head. "Once again I apologize for the consequences of my trespassing. But I hope that it does not influence your decision on whether or not to grant Kuroka and Shirone sanctuary."

"I have decided that no grudge was needed or really deserved. I understand Kuroka's motivations. While I don't approve of her method, her situation was desperate. I won't hold that against her. Also, they may be devils, but they are also youkai. All youkai are welcomed here should they need a safe place to stay," Yasaka said kindly, "I also extend my thanks to you for restoring the barrier and returning these two to safety."

"It was the right thing to do," Harry replied simply, earning an unseen eye-roll from Death for the standard answer her master had used for decades. Really, he was still the same after all this time.

"However, indulge me for a moment," Yasaka said, her face becoming serious as she turned to face Harry completely, "What does Death and her Master intend to do in my home?" She knew she stood no chance against these two beings that likely had the potential to match Ophis herself, but it was her duty to ensure her people were safe, even if it meant staring into the jaws of Death herself. Harry smiled.

"You really are a one of the few leaders I have ever met that I can say are worthy of the position. I can sense you really care for your people," Harry said formally, tipping his head in respect, "Don't worry. I and Death have no intention to harm anyone in your lands. We don't have any plans actually."

"Harry came here hoping for a peace," Death continued her face solemn as she turned around to face the nine-tailed fox, "Apparently he hasn't had much success."

Harry sighed, knowing that his actions today definitely hadn't endeared himself to the devils. He knew that would come back to bite him in the ass later. Yasaka was contemplative.

"You are welcome to stay here in my lands for as long as you wish, Harry," Yasaka declared with a small smile, "Consider it payment."

"The barrier was a mistake I had to fix. I don't really deserve anything," he replied defensively. Kuroka and Shirone, however, were staring at him intently.

"Then consider it a request on behalf of Kuroka-san and Shirone-chan," the nine-tailed kitsune replied with a grin, "Something tells me that these two aren't going to let you go so easily."

"That's right nya," Kuroka said simply, "I have to pay you back somehow for everything you've done for me and Shirone nya."

"You don't have..."

"Hush," she said instantly, not having any of it, having grasped some of Harry's character already, "I'd like to think we're at least friends by now. Just let me do this nya. I won't feel right if I leave a debt unpaid. I owe you my life as well as Shirone's nya." A brief blip of magic was all Harry had to sense to know what had happened. A life debt forged a connection, one that would last until the debt was considered repaid by the one who owed it.

Shirone didn't say a word, but simply walked over to Harry's bed and sat in his lap, ignoring Death's raised eyebrows, curling up for a nap.

"Harry-oniisan has to stay," she said simply. Harry blinked in surprise. He hadn't expected Shirone to be so straightforward. "Take responsibility for saving me." Harry groaned. He had really lost now. With a defeated sigh but small smile, he nodded, placing his hand on Shirone's head softly.

"You should know better by now, Master," Death replied sagely, "Trying to fight against one woman, let alone three, is pretty much impossible."

"Quiet you," Harry snapped back jokingly, continuing to comfort the young nekomata. Shirone had been through a very trying few days. No child should be faced with death so early. It left scars that would fester if not healed correctly. He would know after all. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to stick around.

"So it is settled," Yasaka said with a nod, smiling at the sweet scene. He already looked like he was a part of the family. "I will announce your right to stay in my lands tomorrow. Tonight, all of you are my guests."

Suddenly, the sliding doors to the bedroom were flung open as the pitter-patter of feet against the floor filled the room. A yellow, red and white blur launched itself at Yasaka's back, landing on her shoulders.

"Mama," a mini Yasaka-clone growled, biting the older fox's left ear, "You said you'd play with me! You've been in here for so long! It's not fair. You promised!"

"Kunou," Yasaka said patiently, reaching over her head to pick up her grumpy daughter, "We have guests. Behave." Kunou puffed out her cheeks in response as she was lowered to the floor. She turned around to find four new people, but there was one thing her eyes settled on: the man sleeping in her mother's futon. Her eyes widened but then focused again as she took in his face.

With a determined gait, she walked up to the unsuspecting man and tugged on his shirt.

"Yes, little one?" Harry asked kindly, finding the little fox to be adorable.

"Are you my papa?"


	4. Ch3: I Guess I Am

Disclaimer: I own no rights to Harry Potter or High School DxD.

"Speaking"

" _Parsel"_

'Thoughts'

* * *

Chapter 3 – I Guess I Am

Harry didn't quite know what to think as he peered into the hopeful eyes of the young kyuubi clinging to his side, her tails swishing back and forth relentlessly with undisguised excitement. Her whole frame screamed expectation, and Harry just had no idea how to bring it all crashing down without feeling like an absolute jerk. Even with his long life and a century or two of experience with a wider variety of scenarios than a box of Bertie Bott's jelly beans, Harry had never actually had someone ask him this particular question…

"You must be Papa!" Kunou explained patiently as she crawled onto the futon, her tunnel-vision disregarding the yelp of surprise from the previously-sleeping Shirone who she had displaced as a result. The young kitten growled low in her throat and was about to pounce when the firm hand of her sister latched onto her shoulder, holding her back.

Shirone didn't quite understand, and her sleepy, stressed-out mind was even less-inclined to attempt to interpret the situation. But Kuroka's rare, serious expression was enough to stay her claws, even if she was absolutely not happy about it.

"Mama doesn't talk to boys a lot," Kunou continued, essentially oblivious to the rest of the room, "She says they are really annoying. No one else has been allowed into the house too, and you're sleeping in her futon! Everyone I know says that mama and papa are supposed to sleep in the same place."

"Kunou!" Yasaka whispered fiercely, hoping to hold her daughter back, but her voice went unheard. The elder kyuubi flushed pink at the insinuation, mortified that her daughter had absolutely no idea of what she was uttering so boldly. Yasaka also mentally bristled in irritation, reminding herself to double check on just who exactly was telling her impressionable daughter these things. Clearly they would have to be dealt with…

Harry wasn't even sure what the hell had just happened. He glanced around the room to find his companions all in various states of emotion. Kuroka was both sad and laughing, finding the situation grimly depressing but the commentary just so funny. She was having a hard time controlling what flit across her face and trying to just not laugh out loud at the situation Harry had found himself in.

Shirone was quite ticked, if the frown on her face was anything to go by, but her eyes were soft as she watched Kunou snuggle into Harry's chest. It reminded her of when she used to cuddle with her father before he died. Shirone supposed she could forgive the princess this one time, but she still wanted to nap.

Harry sighed heavily, patting Kunou's head softly.

"I'm sorry Kunou-chan," he muttered with an understanding smile of his own, rubbing her head affectionately, making sure to get right behind the two golden ears perched on her head, "I'm not your papa. But if I did have a daughter, I'd want her to be as adorable as you are. Your mama was just taking care of me for a little bit."

Kunou took a moment to scrutinize Harry's expression and her own fell in response, visibly deflating as she concluded this man was probably telling the truth. At least he was nice she reasoned, and she liked the way he smelled. It made her feel safe, just like how her mama felt.

"Maybe you know where my Papa is then?" she asked optimistically, still allowing the comforting feeling of Harry's petting wash over her.

"I don't, Kunou-chan. But I'm sure he's thinking of you though," the Master of Death said with a kind smile while hiding the pain and anger he felt at the thought of where her father truly was. The topic of parents had never been his forte…but just from the ashamed visage of Yasaka and the confused state of her daughter, he knew enough. The very thought of a father abandoning their child and mother made him sick and simultaneously simmer with righteous anger. However, he wouldn't show any of his resentment in front of such a pure soul.

Carefullly, he glanced up at his benefactor, knowing that the beautiful kyuubi was likely suffering as well, and while her façade was strong, his magic and passive legilmency abilities sensed the shame and sadness that projected off of Yasaka in waves. It was not a pleasant feeling in the least.

"Nyaahha! Kunou-chan!" Kuroka suddenly interjected, "How about you show me and Shirone-chan around the temple? We'll be here for a while, so I think it would be nice to get a tour nya." Shirone swiftly swerved her face toward her sister's, confusion and slight irritation etched on it. While she was willing to let the earlier incident slip, she didn't want to play with the fox who had so rudely interrupted her nap. She didn't doubt that her grouchiness was likely compounding that feeling. Regardless, the stern and slightly scary face of her sister won out, eventually.

Kunou paused, having not even noticed that there was another kid in the room, her attention having been solely focused on the man who was her possible father. Now that she thought about it, she didn't know anyone else in the room, except for her Mama. The two youkai in the room were interesting because Kunou was very well versed in the various youkai in the kingdom. She was a princess after all. These two cat youkai were different, their power coursed strangely, and even her young senses could pick that out. However, what she really cared about was that they were really, really pretty.

She also looked at the other woman who had watched on blankly next to the man who she had believed was her father. Kunou's natural instincts were continually frazzling when she stared too long at the white haired woman.

"You can visit me and my friends any time Kunou-chan," Harry said, having easily read Kunou's curiosity, "My name is Potter, Harry. Please treat me, Kuroka, Shirone-chan and…'D' well okay?" Kunou thought about it for a moment and eventually nodded enthusiastically.

"Okay! This Kunou blesses you with approval!" Kunou said with as much "princess-attitude" as she could muster, causing Harry and the others to chuckle. However, when the Kyoto princess then turned to Shirone whose blank face was staring back into her own, she clammed up.

The young fox tried to regain her bearings, but the intense and constant stare of the white-haired cat pierced her normally confident attitude, rendering her a stuttering and fidgeting mess. She didn't get it…All the other children in the village always treated her carefully, full of awe and amazement. However, Shirone continued to just stare blankly, and it really threw her off. Something about it was…refreshing though.

"Um…Ano…Shirone-chan?" the unsure kyuubi princess ventured, hoping to get a response out of the stoic nekomata, whose stare was still fixated. Shirone sighed, looking away, deciding she had held her grudge long enough.

"Kunou-hime," she replied simply, which earned a frown from the young kyuubi. All the other children called her that, and it usually made her feel special. However, hearing it from Shirone just made her feel…lonely.

"W…would you like to go play?" Kunou asked shyly, unsure of why she was so nervous. The white cat contemplated for a moment and then sighed before nodding slowly. For a moment, nothing was said as the awkward exchange settled. It could be considered cute if it just wasn't so indicative of how much both children lacked real friends.

"Don't be so stiff you two! And Shirone, be nice," Kuroka said good-naturedly as she grabbed the two children, dragging them out of the room by the scruffs of their necks. "Ne ne! Let's go play then! I haven't had a good game of tag in a while nya!"

With a wink to the Harry and Death plus a nod to Yasaka, the black Nekoshou ran out of the room, intent on having a good time with her sister once again.

* * *

"I'm sorry about that Potter-san. Kunou can be very…impatient," Yasaka said with a sigh, knowing her daughter's more, fiery traits were going to get her in trouble one of these days. However, Harry waved it off with a warm smile.

"She's a precious child," he replied sincerely, "You've done a wonderful job with her." Yasaka nodded in acknowledgement, silently appreciating the unspoken words that accompanied that phrase. She still did not possess the resolve to approach the topic honestly, her own pride and shame preventing her from doing so. The golden kyuubi appreciated the implied support, however.

"Thank you. I shall take my leave then Potter-san so that you may rest," she said with a slight tilt of her head.

"Bleh. Please, at least, just call me by my first name. Hearing my last name brings back some unpleasant memories…" Harry requested with a slight grimace, as a certain dungeon bat and nose-less snake came to mind. Yasaka appraised the request for a moment, searching for a reason, but acquiesced when Harry's expression so openly projected his distaste.

"Very well. Then please rest well Harry-san. I will see to it that Kuroka-san does not do anything too reckless." The nine-tailed fox said with veiled grin as she glided out of the room to pursue her wayward guests and child.

A moment of companionable silence settled in the room as Death sat down next to her master, concern etched into her eyes. It had only been a day, but it only took a moment for a life to change. Without a doubt, her master had just changed many more, including his own. He likely hadn't given it much though, but in just a day, he seemed so much happier and alive.

"I'm glad," Death said softly as she leaned against the familiar warmth of her master whose arm snaked around her shoulders comfortably, "Your smile still exists."

"Oh shush," Harry dismissed but not unkindly, "Think of it more like I got over my century of depression."

"That doesn't fill me with much confidence you know."

"No, I suppose it wouldn't."

Harry hummed lowly, taking another moment to look around the room. It was a plain and very traditional, Japanese room. Tatami lined the floors and there was a bare minimum of decorations scattered about. Harry could describe it mostly as empty, but it felt so full of life.

It was a strict contrast to how his own home, back in his original dimension had felt, filled with various nick-knacks and doodads, yet as cold and empty as a rotting corpse's eyes. Perhaps that was what he had been in reality, a walking corpse going through the motions. This room with all of its emptiness seemed to be warm and contained more life than Harry had felt in the past century.

"You know…I'm glad too," the Master of Death replied softly as he laid back down, "You were right."

"Hmph. Aren't I usually?" Death scoffed with a smirk, but if softened just as quick, "I hope you can find happiness here. You seemed to have found some good potential friends…even if they are all women and little girls."

"Hey, I resent that," he replied with a chuckle, "But you know. You shouldn't exclude yourself either Death. We've been friends for a very long time now." At that, the concept beamed, diving down to snuggle into her lovable master. "Oi! That hurts you know!"

"Hehe. Master just always knows what to say doesn't he?" she said with a giggle, holding Harry close, "I knew that Master valued me so!" Now, normally, Harry would rise up to the baiting tease; Death would get a bit amusement, and then nothing would happen. Today wasn't a normal day though.

"Well of course," he muttered, sleep slowly overcoming him, not minding in the least that Death was essentially using him as a body pillow. Despite her name and power, her manifested body was quite warm he decided. "You're all I had for a hundred years or so you know…You're my family…" Nothing more was said as the tired wizard finally succumbed to the sweet call of Morpheus, missing completely the cherry-red face of pure embarrassment painted on his companion.

She pouted again, complaining at how unfair it was that she with all of her experience and ageless time couldn't deliver such cheesy yet perfect lines at the right times. Still, while she was usually the target of said lines, she couldn't help but allow her eternal heart flutter. It was easy to remind herself why she had fallen in love with Harry in moments like this.

"Hmph…Stupid Master," she said fondly, planting a soft kiss on his lips as he slept away into the land of flowing dreams.

* * *

 _6 Months Later_

"As this year closes, may we remember the many blessings we have received from the watchful skies. May this New Year bring about prosperity and joy to our honored nation under the watchful eyes of the loving sun," Yasaka announced from the balcony of the palace where she held court, hearing the roaring cheer of thousands of youkai from down below, echoing their beloved leader. Youkai from far and wide had come to celebrate the most important Japanese holiday, and the festivities were in full swing as vendors barked their wares while the delicious aroma of freshly cooked foods wafted through the afternoon air. In just a few hours, the turning of the year would take place.

With a grace-filled bow, Yasaka retired from her position, giving a nod to her servants and advisors, all of which bowed back in response. They gave her the usual pleasantries, compliments and their little tidbits of input. She listened with all the patience she had cultivated over the centuries. However, the kyuubi was really just looking forward to spending some time with her family, just as every other youkai, and in fact everyone in the world, was advised to do for the New Years.

"Nyahhaah! You really are popular aren't you, Yasaka-sama nya?" a voice the golden fox had gotten all too used to these past few months giggled, causing a few of her advisors to scowl at the rather casual way the voice spoke to their queen. It made Yasaka smile though, happy to have someone who saw her as just another normal youkai. She looked up to find Kuroka perched on one of the golden archways, her tails swinging about lazily and her normally scandalous kimono leaving nothing to the imagination. With a nod to her advisors and servants, she sent them away, advising them to spend the rest of the evening with their families.

"And I must relay to you the same compliments Kuroka-san, given the many appreciative views you have received from the men this afternoon," she said with an arched eyebrow, amused. With a laugh, the black nekoshou hopped down from her spot on the arch walking into step with the golden fox. To many people, it was mind boggling why the very proper and reserved Yasaka would be such good friends with Kuroka who within just the short span of six months had already become infamous for her flirtatious nature and near lack of modesty.

"Ehehe. Maybe, but none of them interest me nya," the black neko replied simply, and Yasaka allowed a rare smirk to grace her features.

"Speaking of Harry-san," Yasaka continued, chuckling at the small pink hue that always flit across the usually brazen Nekoshou's face when their mutual friend was mentioned, "Where is he? I did not notice him anywhere today."

"Shirone-chan and Kunou-chan were bothering him for flying time earlier," she said simply, earning an understanding yet slightly exasperated look from the fox. Yasaka knew all too well of her daughter's increasingly powerful obsession with flying, and the moment Harry had revealed that it was a skill that he could teach, Kunou had pounced on it. She herself had gone on a few flights with Harry. Of course, the times afterwards had been appropriately tempered from Harry's standard of "fun" which she and Kuroka had promptly labeled as certifiably insane.

Together the two ladies walked on towards the entrance of the palace, hoping to make their way home. They had already enjoyed a lot of the festivities for the day, and all they wished to do was rest.

"It's been half a year already hasn't it?" Yasaka asked rhetorically as she gazed at the setting sun, remembering fondly the first day Harry and company had been dropped into her life. It was still quite the running joke in their household.

"What? Still eager to get rid of us nya?" Kuroka joked.

"Hmm…maybe just this stray black cat I happen to take care of. Little Kunou-chan is rather attached to Shirone-chan and Harry-san. I just can't see the appeal of continuing to take care of a hopeless cat." the gold fox said with a mischievous smirk.

"Nya! That's mean Yasaka-sama!"

"Hmm…I think even Lilith-san and Dee-san are more adored by my daughter than you Kuroka-san. In terms of affection ratings, you'd be dead last," Yasaka continued unapologetically, chuckling at the pouting and sour face Kuroka was making.

"That's only because I take away her Harry-time," the black Nekoshou said with the grumble, "It's not fair nya! She gets to pull the adorable child card…Everyone knows that works better than the sexy seductress role…."

Yasaka laughed heartily at that, hiding her mouth with the edges of her yukata. Many of the servants watching their interaction were a bit confused but happy at the sudden change in their beloved leader's outward demeanor.

Just a short six months ago, many of them could actually attest they had never heard their ruler laugh or make jokes, a side effect of being the sole ruler of an entire nation for so long perhaps.

Though more accurately, she had been lonely.

Youkai were social creatures by default. They were descendants of the ancient animal creatures fueled by human superstition after all. As such, they required their social needs.

The golden kyuubi had gone on for many hundreds of years without that social interaction. Sure she had servants and advisers to speak to, and of course she adored her people. However, it was not the same as having someone else to confide in that would honestly care. Being the ruler of a nation tended to put an impenetrable wall between you and your subjects. Even Kunou-hime, her dearest daughter, had only been around then less than a decade.

Most, as a result, were happy for Yasaka, and her closest servants prayed for her continued prosperity in the oncoming centuries.

At first, there had been a lot of misgivings about having a human, a human male at that, around Yasaka and her impressionable daughter. There were also whispers of the two nekoshou that followed him that spoke of their criminal past. They had been all treated with the utmost caution and quite a bit of disdain as a result upon their first few weeks in Kyoto.

Most of that suspicion had quickly evaporated after the first month however. Harry Potter, a name that was very well known throughout the nation now, had quickly proven himself to be not only a very kind man but immensely useful as well as powerful. His abilities had taken the nation by storm. Within a matter of days, water shortages were nonexistent, food was plentiful, buildings were repaired, clothes were given out, and so much more. All were accomplished with naught but a wave of his hand and some language that none understood. His powers were hailed as near godlike as a result.

The rich and the poor knew his face and his name. He was something of a celebrity, much to his distaste. Harry only put up with it because it was at least based on something he had done himself.

Power was important to youkai, not matter what any of them would say otherwise. It was a hard ingrained instinct for youkai to value and respect the strong. Naturally, Harry's abilities, combined with his readiness to use it selflessly and freely had earned him the respect and adoration of Yasaka's people.

There were also many other things that appealed to the modern youkai. His attitude was very down-to-earth despite his otherworldly control of what seemed to be reality itself. The mysterious woman that always accompanied him, Dee if the whispers were to be believed, exuded an aura of mystery and otherworldliness that many could not help but instinctively fear and respect. To many, it added to Harry's appeal of mystique.

In such a short time, Harry had changed the entire nation.

Children loved him. Woman desired him. Men respected him.

But he was untouchable. It was an unspoken agreement among all that lived in the kingdom that he belonged to Yasaka, though it had never been voiced of course by either party. The populace reasoned that time was all that was needed.

"Mama! Watch out!" a shrill voice screamed as Yasaka exited the castle, blinking in confusion as she swore she heard her daughter's voice from above. Looking up swiftly, she found the face of her daughter soaring through the air. Falling was a more apt description.

"Kunou!" she exclaimed, bracing her body to jump, her mind racing as she calculated how far she had to jump and where she could land to minimize the damage to herself and to her daughter.

She needn't have worried. A small glow surrounded her daughter as she rapidly approached the ground, seemingly originating from her clothes. Her speed slowed and eventually she was floating through the sky slowly like a leaf riding the winds, laughing all the while. Carefully, Yasaka caught her daughter who was still giggling despite the frown that her mother fixated her with.

"Kunou-chan! I told you to be careful! That broom wasn't made to last longer than an hour! It even warmed you when it was about to expire!" Harry's familiar voice yelled as he flew downwards, landing with a scowl. Without pause, he walked up to the troublesome kitsune and pinched her ear lightly as punishment.

"Ow! Ow! Ow! It hurts! It hurts!" Kunou cried out as she tried to pull away from the irritated wizard, attempting to burrow into the protective folds of her mother. It might have worked if Yasaka wasn't a bit irritated herself.

"It would have hurt a lot more if I hadn't enchanted your clothes earlier!" he deadpanned, "I've told you many times to be careful! Flying is dangerous! You could have been seriously injured or injured someone else! Do you have any idea how worried I was when I felt the magic of the momentum spell activate!? No more flying until you can prove to me you can handle the responsibility of safety!"

Kunou then started crying feverishly, leaping out of her mother's arms and tackling Harry to the ground.

"No! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Kunou didn't mean it! She wants to fly! She'll be careful! Promise," the little fox exclaimed as she began sobbing into Harry's shirt. Harry sighed.

"I don't want you to get hurt Kunou. I would never forgive myself if you did," he muttered softly as he rubbed the distraught fox's head.

Eventually, Shirone finally came into view, descending slowly on her own little broom. Skillfully, she dismounted and greeted her sister and Yasaka. Abruptly, she turned to the fitful kitsune who was still crying, not a single change in her expression apparent.

"Kunou-hime," Shirone said simply, and Kunou shrieked in fear as she sprang up from her position on Harry's chest. The kyuubi princess knew that tone all too well after six months. It meant she was in big time trouble.

"S..S…Shirone-chan…" she pleaded, her eyes wide as she tried to scoot away. She may have been able to get out of trouble with Harry and occasionally her mother, but Shirone was as solid as a magically locked up bank safe. She wouldn't even budge.

"Excuse me while I lecture Kunou-hime," the white cat said simply as she dragged away the struggling Kunou who was shouting for one of them to save her, "I will see you all at home."

After a while, the three adults broke out into small chuckles, and Harry stood up, dusting himself off in the process.

"You should really be more careful Harry-san," Yasaka said with a disapproving frown, though there wasn't much anger or heat behind it.

"I know. It's my fault. I'll make sure to not let it happen again," Harry said with sincerity, feeling ashamed for putting his friend's daughter into danger. He could have easily made the constructs last longer with a bit of preparation. However, conjuring working magical tools was not a small feat to scoff at. A normal wizard would never be able to do it at all actually.

"Oh lighten up you two nya!" Kuroka said with a laugh as she grabbed them all into a hug, "It's not like a little fall is going to kill anyone nyahhaha! Kunou-chan's a strong youkai too you know nya."

"That's beside the point Kuroka," the wizard replied with a roll of his eyes. Yasaka shook her head, sighing as well, wondering who had decided her first friends in a few hundred years would be so troublesome, but she smiled at the thought of how much spark they brought into her life.

She had been doing that a lot more recently.

"Let's go home shall we? I'm sure Shirone-chan has appropriately reprimanded my mischievous daughter, but that doesn't mean I can allow her all the pleasure."

With a nod, the three friends headed home, chatting and laughing the entire way.

* * *

 _About 1 Year Later_

Harry felt like shit. In fact, he felt worse than when he'd had the bones in his arm removed by that stupid fraud with the fake hair and had his bones regrown overnight! He groaned as another wave of nausea and pain wracked his body, wondering why none of the potions he had brewed for those symptoms had worked at all. It was even stranger because his immortal body was not meant to succumb to any kind of disease. Without a doubt, he could say with certainty that being sick sucked.

Casting his mind back, he realized he had been slowly developing these symptoms over the course of the last six months. What he didn't understand was why, how, and what it was.

"Take it easy Harry nya," Kuroka whispered with a worried frown as she wiped his forehead with a washcloth, having dutifully watched over his bedside for the last few days. He had been bedridden for nearly a week already, having randomly collapsed in the middle of dinner one night to the horror of all those present.

Harry had, of course, written it off as nothing important, but once the spasms and pounding headaches began to come in full, it was clear that it was no common cold. However, it didn't stop there. After the first two days, Harry could barely even move without grunting in pain, his whole body fighting violently against any action.

And the black nekoshou had never felt more helpless in her life for it. With as much power she had, even her evolving control over space-time, she was useless here. Her senjutsu was always much more combat related. After all, she had been more concerned with making sure someone stayed dead when her powers had been developing. Healing magic and its associated arts were never her forte either. It wouldn't have helped regardless apparently.

Yasaka had tried her hand at curing Harry as well, even going so far as to channel a bit of the divine energy she was gifted with from the Goddess of the Sun. It hadn't helped in the slightest. In fact, nothing had helped. Kuroka had also watched Harry down potion after potion and try spell after spell, all to no avail.

All they could do now was wait for Death, who had been absent as of late, much to the confusion of everyone in the household. Lilith had also not been seen for a long time as well despite the fact that Harry could still feel her energy quite potently.

"Urk…this is a real pain in the ass," Harry wheezed as he clutched the sheets tightly to fight off another wave of headaches and nausea. If there was one thing he could say he definitely didn't miss about mortal life, it was sickness. In fact, being sick was odd even for mortals of his kind. Magic normally protected them from mundane diseases and their associated symptoms. Magical illnesses tended to have rather…exotic symptoms by contrast. "Sorry to bother you Kuroka."

"Nya! It's no problem at all," the black cat said resolutely, her brows creased in worry, "I just wish I could do more for you…I feel really useless nya…"

"Haha…It's fine. This is pretty nice actually. I've never had anyone take care of me like this before."

The closest thing Harry could actually compare this to were his visits to the hospital wing, as grim as that sounded. It made him feel happy that someone cared enough to nurse him.

"But it's not enough nya…" Kuroka muttered, tears gathering in her eyes as her emotions, which had been eating at her for days now, finally broke. No matter what was done, Harry's condition was worsening. "I…I…I can't…I don't want to lose you nya…"

Harry smiled in appreciation, really touched by the words. It wasn't like Kuroka to say what she meant so straightforwardly, and that meant she truly felt that way. Carefully, he warped his hand around one of hers, feeling comforted by it.

Over the past year and a half, they had gotten close. It was almost impossible for them not to be by this point. Their friendship had really blossomed, and he wouldn't lie in saying he treasured her quite a bit. Truthfully, everyone in the house was his precious family by this point, but it hurt a bit to know he was indirectly causing one of them pain.

"You're doing all you can. That's what matters," he said resolutely, wiping away a few of the tears on Kuroka's face.

The black cat clenched her teeth in frustration. She wanted to help! This man was the only reason why she and her sister were alive and living as they were! He hadn't even requested anything from them, deigning it as normal behavior to help people freely, as absurd as that sounded, especially to a devil. He had gone so far as to stay around them for almost two years already, giving them a place to call home and be happy.

Over the last year, they had been through so much together. They had fought, argued, laughed, cried and grown as friends without a doubt. There had been so many countless happy moments, more than she could say she had experienced before she had met Harry. Before him, her life just seemed like an endless cycle of struggling to survive while plotting how to do it, usually over someone's dead body. He had taken that all away. Harry had seen them at their lowest, comforted them and helped them get stronger without expecting anything in return. He was stubborn of course, to a fault, quite dense and a bit of an unknowing womanizing, but he was genuine and kind. Underneath it all, he was a good man. Harry had changed her life.

And Kuroka loved him for it all.

So it hurt, beyond words, to know she couldn't do anything to help the man she loved. Just this one time, she wanted to be the one to take away the pain. She wanted to be the one to be relied on this time. But she just didn't know how to do it…

Kuroka paused, realizing something. Maybe…maybe there was a way.

"Ne…Harry," Kuroka said with a shaky whisper, knowing that Harry's enhanced senses would pick it up regardless.

"Hmm?" he hummed as he held Kuroka's hand, the warmth and familiar smooth texture of her hands giving him comfort.

"Maybe…I can help."

"Really? Anything other than this would great," he said eagerly as he sat up, grunting as he did so out of pain. He really hated the patient role…

The black nekomata fidgeted in place though under the normal, yet intense, gaze of her friend, his bright, piercing emerald green eyes making her nervous. She would admit to often finding herself lost in them in the past. However, her decision was not one to take lightly, and even if she had entertained the idea many, many times. It was one thing to dream and another to act.

"Before…before I do it nya. Can I ask you something?"

"Sure go ahead."

"What…what do you think of me nya?"

Harry blinked, slightly thrown off by the sudden question that seemed so out of place. It implied a lot of things, but he wasn't really in the state of mind to contemplate them. In that end, he decided that honesty would serve him best.

"Well…you're a bit impulsive. Somewhat reckless. A shameless flirt who really loves to tease people. Quite prone to lazing around too. Slightly clumsy when you're not paying attention…."

"Gee…thanks nya…"

"But you're also very kind and a beautiful person and woman, both inside and out. You're one of my best friends, one of the only ones I have to be honest. My history with friendships is not so great… Meeting you actually turned my life around you know. If I hadn't met you, I might have just been already dead. Death told me back then my soul was dying. I was headed down that path before I met you…"

Harry paused.

"As a woman…you're unquestionably gorgeous. I love your laugh and how your ears twitch whenever you're happy, particularly with Shirone. I find your walk to be a bit mesmerizing because you do it so fluidly, and it really shows your catlike nature. I might have stared a few too many times…." He continued, somehow ignoring the steam coming out of Kuroka's ears, "Overall, you're one of my most precious people. You're funny, witty and an insatiable tease…but I love having you around. I'm really happy I met you Kuroka. I'm honored to have you here with me."

Kuroka wanted to respond so such heartfelt words, but the pounding in her heart and the fire in her body didn't allow her to do so. The black cat didn't like words anyway. Actions had always been her strong suit after all. A pregnant silence settled after Harry finished his improvised heart outpouring, and Kuroka stared for a good five seconds, opening and closing her mouth uselessly. She could practically feel the heat emanating from her undoubtable blood-red face. She was dumbfounded. Honestly! Who could just spout those words so genuinely!

With one fluid motion, she swung herself over Harry and sat in his lap, hugging him tightly, ignoring his surprised yelp, both out of pain and surprise. Nuzzling into Harry's neck, she inhaled deeply, mewling happily in contentment. This was who she loved. This was the man she wanted to spend her life with. Pulling back, she stared into Harry's questioning eyes before moving in swiftly, taking his lips with her own.

It was a good kiss she decided. Kuroka kissed him for a full five minutes before finally pulling back, her face red and her breath coming in short gasps.

"You really know how to charm a girl don't you nya?" she whispered with a sly and very happy smile, her eyes smoldering with desire. She giggled a bit at the bewildered expression on Harry's face, finding his lack of experience with woman rather adorable, and she preyed on it like the seductive cat she was. "Ne…Harry. Do you want to hear a secret nya?"

"Um…sure."

Slowly, she inched forward until she was embracing Harry, her mouth mere millimeters away from his ear as her hot breath spilled across it. Harry was definitely reacting, if what Kuroka felt was any indication. She giggled internally in delight.

"I love you Harry. I love you so much that I can't help but fantasize about you every night ravaging me until I'm sure I'm pregnant with your child. Every waking moment, I want to hold you close and have you kiss me into oblivion. I just love you that much."

Immediately, she felt his whole body lock up. She pulled back, concerned, but found a strange look on Harry's face, including a raging blush.

"W…what...why?" he croaked out. He had always dreamed of hearing those words from someone…well maybe not those _exact_ words. That was all Kuroka. He had always wanted love though, but his life and condition had always made that dream impossible. Hearing those words seemed to be such a cruelly beautiful thing, because he was sure any moment he would wake up and realize he was alone again. Kuroka watched the conflicting emotions flit across his face with an understanding smile.

"You're Harry nya," she explained simply as she kissed him again," I'll say it again if you want nya."

"I…we…you…."

"Shhh...It's okay," Kuroka said with a happy grin, "I love you Harry." She couldn't help but giggle in delight at how those four words ignited his cheeks more than dirty talk did. "Mhmm…How about we make you feel better first nya? Then we can talk about it."

Dumbly, Harry nodded, and immediately started freaking out as he watched Kuroka suddenly start undressing in front of him.

"Hehehehe…Don't worry nya," she purred as she continued stripping slowly, knowing Harry was shocked but also enjoying it. She could tell by the smell of his body and the appropriate responses pushing against her body. "It's a powerful branch of my powers. It's called Bouchujutsu."

"Wait…doesn't that mean…"

"Yup…the bedroom method nya."

* * *

 _Later_

Harry was feeling a lot better. Admittedly, it may have had something to do with the buxom and naked woman currently cuddling in his arms. It had been tough at first, mainly due to the pain from his body. After a bit though, the life energy that Kuroka had supplied him with had overridden it. However, he was still in a slight state of shock though, wondering what he had done to make anyone fall in love with him.

"I've been waiting for that for a while now nya," Kuroka said with a lazy grin as she groaned, feeling her lower body protest with soreness. It had definitely been wonderful. "Do you have any idea how hard it was to restrain myself during the mating season nya?"

"Sorry," Harry replied with a small chuckle, understanding it a bit himself thanks to his animagus forms.

"Nyaaaa, you're just going to have to make it up to me…a lot," she yawned saucily, stretching in a way that couldn't be construed as anything else but purposely erotic, earning another blush from the love-deprived wizard. Harry was about to reply when he felt the sudden gathering of magical energy in the room, one of which he recognized.

Moments later, Death came out of a tear in the dimension of space with someone in tow, and the eternal manifestation of the end did not look happy. However, her expression was quickly replaced with another one when she came upon the scene of her master and Kuroka in bed together, naked as the day they were born. It was also apparent, thanks to the musk and the slight sheen on their bodies what they had been up to.

"Hmm…It would appear, the cat has beaten you to it," the newcomer said with some mirth. Irritated, Death promptly bonked the girl on the head without any hesitation or remorse. She then turned to find Kuroka staring at her definitely, as if telling her to go ahead and try to forbid or separate them. Death's shoulders slumped, and she sighed.

"…It was…going to happen eventually," she said with a slightly depressed expression, shaking her head. Kuroka and Harry were surprised. The former had expected a bit more of an angry response, and the latter had formulated no idea on how his longtime partner would react.

"This, may be in your favor now. He, may respond to you now," the newcomer said flatly, though there was some hidden mirth underlined in her tone.

"Shut up Ophis!" Death said unhappily, flushing a bit, but the name had caused Kuroka's eyes to go wide in fear. Ophis was regarded as the strongest being around, bar the Great Red of course. She had some confidence that Death wouldn't outright maul her, thanks to their friendship and maybe Harry's intervention. Kuroka had no idea how this other notorious concept given form would treat them.

"Would you two at least cover yourselves?" Death said with some annoyance, staring blatantly at Kuroka's exposed chest with envy. It wasn't fair…

Ophis continued to stare blankly, mostly uncaring, though her gaze did linger on Harry's exposed body longer than necessary.

"What's…what's going on Death?" Harry asked bravely, hoping his longtime partner wasn't too upset with him. For some reason, he felt like had broken some kind of unspoken rule.

"This is the problem," Death said as she gestured to the blankly staring Infinite Dragon God who had begun wandering around the room, observing a few of the mementos Harry had placed there, "She's the reason why you're sick."

"What?"

"I noticed it after analyzing your magic a few days ago. It's the same as Lilith's first drain, except almost ten times worse. It's taking your magic so fast that your body was essentially drained dry and rendered without protection. I spent the last few days trying to track down Ophis."

The little gothic lolita didn't bother saying anything and instead walked over to Harry, sniffing him, a Cheshire grin stretching across her face.

"Lilith, seems to be doing well. In fact, she's almost done," Ophis declared, "Though, there may be some differences from what I had expected however." She looked pointedly at the naked nekoshou in bed with Lilith's host.

"Again, what are you talking about!" Death hissed, having heard this speech from Ophis all the way here. It was always something about Lilith finishing up and plans coming to fruition with her "mate".

"You, shall see soon. In fact, I sense she has just finished," the Infinite Dragon God said cheerfully, or as cheerfully as her flat voice could be considered.

Suddenly, Harry began to glow intensely as magic began building at a rate that would surely alert everyone in the kingdom if not Japan. It was staggering, the pure raw unadulterated power that filled the room; it was enough to level entire countries if harnessed correctly! The light levels were equally blinding, so bright that everyone in the room had shielded their eyes in the fears of going blind. Finally, after feeling like an ocean of magic power had been dropped on their chests, the magic collapsed into a single point and the pressure and lights disappeared.

Opening their eyes, they found something new, but it was more like _someone_ new.

A small child lay napping in Harry's lap, probably about two or three years old. It was a girl with slate gray hair and a pair of twitching cat ears on the top of her head that kept swiveling every now and then. She had two tails that swung lazily behind her in a happy fashion as she instinctively snuggled closer into the warmth of Harry's body.

However, after a few moments, she began to stir. Yawning cutely, her eyes opened to reveal irises of two different colors, one a very characteristic emerald green which Harry immediately recognized and the other a bright, piercing shade of gray with flecks of topaz in it.

Blinking the little nekomata looked around slowly, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings. She wasn't alarmed, and in fact, she practically looked happy and at ease. With a knowing nod, she turned towards Harry who seized up at the attention.

"Papa," she stated definitively, giggling as she hugged him around the waist, nuzzling into his chest.

"Explain! Right. Now. Ophis," Death hissed, her power flaring violently as she gestured towards the young girl snuggling into Harry's bare chest, "Why is MY power coming off that girl!"

"Naturally, she is your daughter," Ophis said simply, shrugging her shoulders, "As well as mine and apparently the cat's." Kuroka's head whipped so fast towards Ophis that Harry actually had to turn his face to not get inadvertently slapped by her hair.

"WHAT NYA!" Kuroka exclaimed, her eyes wide as she turned to the child in Harry's arms.

"That doesn't make any sense," Death said with a frown, "In fact, the only one that's done anything to even merit a child is Kuroka-san." The black nekomata winced at bit at the slightly bitter tone, but nodded in agreement. Ophis paused.

"I, do not understand. Is it not customary to form a child using magic? It, is how I was born as well as Great Red and all the other gods and goddesses," Ophis asked, tilting her head, her question as serious as she was deadpan.

Predictably, Death, Kuroka and Harry could only stare at the second strongest being in existence in disbelief. They couldn't decide if the Infinite Dragon God was dumb or just ridiculously innocent.

"Was that what Lilith was for the entire time?" Harry asked.

"Initially, no," Ophis replied truthfully, "After much time, she decided it herself. She, said she was bored as a snake and would like to be reborn. She, asked me, and I came up with the plan."

"So wait…this is Lilith!?" Kuroka questioned, her mind having a very difficult time connecting the snarky snake and the perfectly innocent kitten in front of her together.

"In, a sense. Yes and no. Her essence of power and soul were re-forged."

"I can't believe this…" Death said as she sat down, too shocked. Her hundreds of eons had never prepared her for something so absurd as this! For goodness sake, she hadn't even gone on a proper date with Harry yet! A daughter? Hers?

"Are mamas mad?" the little nekomata, Lilith, asked her eyes watering a bit as her enhanced senses were able to pick up on the emotions in the room.

"No no no, of course not little kitten nya," Kuroka said immediately, almost automatically. Lilith then reached out and crawled into Kuroka's lap, purring happily in response.

"I, find myself disappointed that all she inherited from me was a mixed hair color and my eyes," Ophis admitted as she walked over to the napping child, "Hmm…though her energy definitely feels rather draconic. Perhaps she has retained my shapeshifting abilities. I, will have to teach her later." Not one to be outdone, Death quickly strode up to the little child and observed her herself.

"As if. Those are clearly my eyes," Death bragged as she pointed to her own set of gray eyes, a smirk plastered on her face as her attitude did a quick one-eighty, "And her hair is definitely a lighter shade of gray. Must have gotten it from me." She was referring of course to her snow white hair.

However, as a result, a strange argument of who had more in Lilith had begun between the two entities that represented two sides of the same coin, the infinity and the end. They continued to bicker the entire time, leaving Harry and Kuroka time to absorb what the hell had just happened.

"This…She…She's our daughter nya?" Kuroka asked, her voice trembling a bit as little Lilith began to fall asleep once more. The black nekomata couldn't believe it. Her life had always revolved around the idea of raising children with a suitable mate. The black nekoshou had always hoped, but had never let her hopes go too far. She had just been handed both. Without her knowing it, tears began to fall from her eyes as she hugged her new daughter close, an unspeakable happiness filling her heart.

Harry too was in a state of shock. A daughter? Him? It was almost unfathomable. The wizard had never seen his future making it to that point. Sure he had fantasied about raising a family many times, but…to have it come true so suddenly was ridiculous. He wasn't ready for something like this! Normal dads weren't ready for this! And he had just found out he had a daughter in less than five minutes!

Taking a deep breath, he practiced his meditative techniques, re-centering himself. It would do him no good to panic. He shook himself mentally. Done was done. Regardless of anything he wanted, he now had a daughter, a beautiful, healthy daughter. He…had a daughter! Just repeating the phrase made him grin stupidly. If he was honest with himself, he couldn't bring himself to care how it had happened.

"She has your ears and tails," Harry said with a chuckle.

"Nyahaha. I'm surprised she has two," Kuroka said with a gleeful giggle. She knew the reason though. Only extremely powerful nekomata were able to grow more tails. Her sister would likely grow into hers within the coming years. It was pretty much a guarantee with them being Nekoshou. But the fact that this newborn kitten possessed one was frightening and very pleasing for the black cat. "Nyahaha my little kitten is going to be powerful isn't she!"

"Are…are you okay with having me as the father? I'm not that…"

"Stop. You'll be the perfect father nya. I'd want no one else," Kuroka declared seriously, and Harry blushed profusely at the staunch declaration.

"Hey! She's my daughter too you know!" Death said suddenly, breaking away from her argument with Ophis, pouting.

"Mine, as well," the Infinite Dragon God echoed, "Though, clearly more than Death."

"What did you say!?"

They continued, much to the amusement of Harry who had taken to stroking his new daughter's hair.

"Papa…" the little nekomata purred as she continued to nap, blissfully content with staying between her mother and father. It was perhaps one of the most adorable things he had ever seen in his life, and the fact that he knew it came from his daughter made the moment all the sweeter.

"Ha…I guess I am little one. Welcome to the family, Lilith."

* * *

 **Hello! I'm back! I was gone for a bit, about two months in Asia. And before that I was finishing up college stuff for med school. Bleh.**

 **Anyways, hopefully, I don't go too long again without updating. Until next time!**

 **-Woona the Cat**


	5. Ch4: Just Another Day at the Office

Disclaimer: I own no rights to Harry Potter or High School DxD.

"Speaking"

" _Parsel"_

'Thoughts'

* * *

Ch 4 – Just Another Day at the Office

Sometimes, Sirzechs really hated his job, and this was one of those times for certain. The induced headache that struck him as Grayfia, his ever-faithful assistant and merciless slave driver, dropped another thunderous stack of towering white death, paperwork, on his desk, wasn't helping turn that opinion around anytime soon. He withered a bit inside as he noticed a sizable dip appear on the horizon on his wooden desk….

"You are expected to finish these by this afternoon Lucifer-sama," Grayfia announced stoically, though the upward tugging of her lips and the glint in her steel-gray eyes did little to motivate Sirzechs. The Gremory maid did so ever love to watch her king squirm, retribution for what he always managed to put her through on a near daily basis.

"Why! Why Grayfia-chan! Why!" the Crimson Maou cried out as crocodile tears mixed in with real tears poured down his face, but his maid stared on impassively, unmoved and unrepentant in the slightest. In fact, if one knew the maid well enough, they would be able to say she enjoyed it. Sirzechs had hoped to coerce his queen into helping him, to no avail, as usual. The Strongest Queen responded with a very purposeful reorganization of the papers she had just dropped off, realigning them into the perfect stacks she had entered with.

"Need I remind you Lucifer-sama? The upper echelon will not hesitate to increase your workload, substantially, should you be found lacking, again?" Grayfia said with a raised brow, and Sirzechs groaned in defeat, slumping down into his chair as he reached for the first piece of paper on the three-foot-tall stack, resigned to his fate. Become the Lucifer they said! It'll be an honor they said! It's a great responsibility! Bah….

"At least cheer me on Grayfia-chan! Preferably with a skimpy swimsuit and…" he whined, only to be stopped cold as a fist slammed against his skull, causing him to faceplant magnificently into his desk, knocking his new stacks of torture down to the ground, their floating, fleeting sounds mocking him sadistically all the way. "NOOOO!"

"Please refrain from further sexual harassment in the future Lucifer-sama. I"ll not be assisting you in reorganizing those papers as proper punishment," the Gremory maid said, well-concealed mirth in her voice.

"So…cruel…" the Lucifer cried out, his tears one-hundred percent real this time, "This is why you're not married yet Grayfia-chan!" He immediately regretted touching that button when another punch slammed into his face, causing him to spin comically in his office chair until it fell over and crashed into the floor. Hmm…he had never noticed how nice his carpets felt…

"Good day Lucifer-sama," Grayfia said with a roll of her eyes and an almost sinfully cheerful smirk, leaving the struggling maou to his job which he would likely abandon in the next few hours. Honestly, he was almost as bad as the Leviathan sometimes.

As the door to his office shut with an audible click, Sirzechs sat back in his comfy office chair, sighing. With a lazy wave of his hand, his magic guided all of the wayward paperwork back into place, though he wished he could do it with fire…or lightning…or maybe just more fire. It would have certainly made him feel better.

Still, he had hoped his best friend would stick around for just a bit longer at least. Sitting in an empty office was so dreadfully boring.

The icy maid had been his best friend and confidant for many decades now, and Grayfia was one of the few people in which he was allowed to relax completely. The Underworld, no matter how evolved and cultivated they claimed themselves to be, was still the Underworld, the realm of sinners. Should the opportunity arise, a devil normally wouldn't hesitate to do anything necessary to get an advantage and gain power. However, compared to the past where beheading someone and murdering their whole family was a perfectly good way to advance your position, the weapons of choice now were politics and snide, cutting remarks. Grayfia, along with his family and peerage, allowed him to get away from that. It made dealing with the daily bullshit of his routine bearable.

Many, many moons ago, he had tried to court Grayfia in the hopes of eventually marrying her. It was a well-known fact and popular story that he had brought her over from the Old Satan Faction during the war. Their past relationship had even been turned into a famous movie about the moonlit romance of forbidden lovers, commonly praised for its romantic premise and its popularity among the young.

During the war, they had fought against each other constantly in countless battles and skirmishes, many to a bitter stalemate. While Sirzechs had the superior firepower, Grayfia's tactical mind had been leaps and bounds ahead of his, allowing her to keep up. That wasn't to say her own powers were miniscule either. She had been in line for the Leviathan position after all. But, that was how they had first become "friends", admiration through reciprocal strength.

After much time and as the war dragged on, each battle became less and less bloodthirsty, eventually turning into a sort of ritualized greeting between the two warriors. Battles became spars, and spars became verbal jousts, and those turned into flirting after much time. Until, one day, Grayfia defected.

That moment was the turning point in the war, the signaling of the end. Together, the duo swept through the enemy opposition, wiping out the majority of the Old Satan Faction, with the help from the current Maous, ending the war and creating the Neo Underworld.

After the war, their romance seemed to blossom, and those times were some of Sirzechs' best memories, bar the birth of his precious Rias-tan of course! To many, he and Grayfia were the epitome of the perfect couple, two of the strongest devils seen since the fall of the original Lucifer himself. However, it just wasn't meant to be.

Over time, they had just seemed to fall into a sense of complacency and drift apart. He had been busy setting up a new nation and dealing with the implementation of a new government, and she had been occupied with wiping out the remaining resistance pockets. They began spending less and less time together as a result.

Grayfia, being the ever perceptive woman she was, had noticed the signs. The passion and ardent burning need had subsided over time to be replaced by a comforting sense of mostly platonic companionship. Gracefully, as always, Grayfia ended their relationship.

That was the first time that Sirzechs could say with certainty that love truly was the most potent and deadliest weapon ever crafted by the first God. He had tried to rekindle their relationship desperately, but Grayfia had adamantly stated but not unkindly, that it was no longer possible due to her own feelings and apologized. It did little to assuage the heartache that had lasted for almost an entire decade. At the time, he had wanted to hate Grayfia, curse her very name for her rejection, but he could never bring himself to do so. Love was also a rather unyielding shield, he discovered.

Grayfia hadn't come away completely unscathed either, however. Sirzechs' family had been a bit wary about keeping the maid around after their breakup, mainly because they were so fiercely protective of him. He had stayed their hand out of respect for her however, but the public outcry was even more harsh than his families'. Words of revilement and harassment were common occurrences for the maid during that time, though they were more hushed whispers and barely muttered insults. No one would directly face The Strongest Queen, the Silver-Haired Queen of Annihilation. Grayfia bore it all dutifully, content in knowing that her choice had been correct, not matter how much it hurt her dearest friend and herself. Love that was a lie was destined to destroy all it touched.

Eventually, they both recovered, and now, they were the best of friends, brother and sister. The Gremory family all adored the stoic maid, and the public exalted them both as some of the best examples of devil-kind in the last few generations. He relied on her for a lot, and they both knew she allowed it dutifully as a true friend and family member.

Still, having his mother nag him about when he was going to produce grandchildren for her to spoil rotten was a right pain in the ass…

Honestly, it was probably the only thing that could send him straight into a fit of self-pitying depression. He was the Lucifer dammit! Women everywhere should be clamoring to get into his bed…and they were! The problem was that he had standards, very high, nearly impossible standards. Sirzechs doubted he would be able to find someone that could match or surpass Grayfia for a few more decades at best. He would just have to suffer through his mother and father constantly reminding him that he was yet to marry…Well, at least he had, what accounted for essentially eternity to do so.

Shaking himself into focus, he decided that tackling the tower of paper now would allow him some distraction, as mind-numbing as it would no doubt be. Scanning the first urgent document on the top, his eyes widened slightly in interest.

"The Tepes Vampire Faction…hmmm," he muttered, his mind whirling as a mischievous grin stretched across his face. He had an absolutely wonderful idea. Looking up at the calendar pinned to his wall, he nodded in satisfaction, making his decision. Rias' birthday was coming up soon anyway…in a few months, give or take half a year. He didn't see the harm in obtaining one or two early presents for his adorable little Rias-tan. Maybe she would finally forgive him for what happened two years ago during the Swan Lake Incident.

On that note, that date held a rather strange sway over the Underworld ever since its inception. It was often used as a rallying call for the reinvigoration and reinventing of the devil world, especially when it came to the younger generation who many felt were riding off the coattails of their predecessors. It was a potent example that was used to demonstrate the declining strength of their race ever since the Genesis. Though, in Sirzechs' opinion, the public just wanted something to focus on.

The man, who was still unknown to this day, that had singlehandedly torn through their defenses and trained guards was something of a legend. He was the new boogeyman in the night that devil mothers used to force their children to sleep when they wanted them to. Sleep or be turned into a dancing squirrel! Silly, but effective. There was a rather popular live play about that day actually, and his character, as an anti-hero, was really popular with the younger devils. There was just something appealing about his ability to defy whatever he came across.

Sirzechs reasoned that his people just liked rebels. They were the original rebels after all. Personally, he hoped to run across that interesting man again one day and discover what he and those two nekoshou were up to. Another time perhaps…

Right now, he had a vampire stronghold to visit and possibly obliterate. It really depended on how hospitable they were upon his entrance. After all, who could blame him, the Lucifer, when he was acting out of self-defense. With a toothy smile, his power coalesced in the room as a brilliant flame-red, magic circle lit up underneath him.

Silence and the smell of burnt air permeated throughout the now-empty office, and then the door swung open.

With an exasperated yet expectant expression, Grayfia, having sensed the transportation magic, stepped into her king's office, eying the large stacks of paper, perfectly untouched, save for the top file that sat innocently on his desk.

Resigned, she sat and got to work.

There was more than one reason the whole Underworld called her an unofficial Maou after all.

* * *

 _Kyoto_

Yasaka was having a hard time focusing. She was honestly trying to pay attention to the ramblings of the nameless bureaucrat in front of her, but her heart and mind just weren't there. Though, in truth, she wasn't ever really eager to listen to the self-promoting bumblings of the politicians that frequented her throne room. That's what her trusted advisors were for after all.

No, instead her attention was turned elsewhere, focused intently on one of her closest friends, Harry, who she knew was still suffering from an unknown and apparently incurable, debilitating illness. That was more important than the mind-numbing ramblings of a self-serving politician. It made her uneasy to just be here, though her job and position demanded it. Her entire being wished for nothing more than to return home and ensure the recovery of her dear friend, politics be damned.

At this point, any excuse that could get her out of this increasingly droll meeting would do. She was getting antsy as each minute passed, another minute that her friend had to suffer for.

"Which is why I believe that a bit more of the royal treasury should be directed towards…" the bureaucrat continued in his best "politician voice" before pausing, his hairs fritzing and standing on end suddenly. His whole body locked up abruptly, causing him to fall over and hit the ground with a painful thud.

Yasaka froze as she too felt it, a massive buildup of concentrated, pure magical power that began to oppressively press down on them. The very weight and suddenness of its appearance was enough to force a few of her advisors to take a knee, and the politician was down on all fours, barely able to gain some semblance of control over his limbs, as the power continued to climb to dangerous levels. It was everywhere at once, drowning them with its sheer volume like a torrential ocean dropped upon them from the heavens. Struggling for a moment, she countered with her own power to stand upright, finding it increasingly difficult to do so, forcing her to draw from the ley lines to supplement the rapid jumps in power. Her senses fanned out in an attempt to find the source, and her adrenaline spiked as she pinpointed the origin, her home, where her whole family was resting.

Her mind went blank, as she went into autopilot mode.

"This court is over," Yasaka commanded powerfully as she rose, power in her form and determination in her steps. She earned no reprisal or response from anyone as they were all struggling to remain upright and breathe normally. Swiftly, she bounded out of the palace, her worries mounting as she felt the magic continue to build in strength. Every instinct in her screamed at her to do one thing: protect.

Her steps blurred with the landscape as she ran faster and faster, the pressure in the air increasing in magnitude, forcing her to use even more of the leyline's magic to keep herself stable. This level of power was already more than enough to level her entire kingdom! She grit her teeth in worry, praying to her goddess that her family was unharmed.

The most distressing thing was that she could recognize parts of the magic in the air, a peculiar and distressing combination of Harry's magic, Deaths presence with small amounts of Kuroka in it. There was another force at work as well, but its feel was so alien and unusual that she had no idea what to think of it. It was frightening to think of the ramifications of what she sensed.

She had to go faster! Her friends were in danger. Her whole family and life was being threatened! She felt fear grip her heart at the thought of losing any of them. It was a crippling feeling, and her wild imagination did little to assuage her hammering heart. Faster!

Soon, Yasaka saw it, her home looking down on its elevated steps, while the magic in the air had coalesced to such a level that it visibly shined, lighting up the mountainside in a halo of otherworldly lights. Everywhere around her, she could feel it coursing through the air, sending her hair on end and her senses completely haywire. Every inch of the mountain was saturated with this fearsome, unknown energy.

Bounding up the steps, flights at a time, she had to close her eyes as the light's radiance became too much to bear, but as she reached the top of the step, she faltered. The suffocating blanket of power was suddenly snuffed out, leaving behind a large power vacuum that left her completely disoriented.

She staggered at the sudden loss of pressure. Stopping just at the top of the stairs.

However, the heaviness in her heart and the heavy breath of her lungs failed to cease as she warily opened her light-bleached eyes, disoriented and wary. Her steps felt like lead as she walked to the door leading into her home, wondering what had happened. Why had the magic come so fast and powerfully, and even more foreboding, why had it been snuffed out like a candle in the rain? The possibilities chilled her to the bone, and each one seemed more farfetched and gruesome than the last.

Yasaka needed to know. She needed to see with her own eyes that everything was alright.

Her hands shaking, she grasped the wooden handle, sliding the door open, her hyperactive senses taking in every detail of her home, from the smallest particles of dust floating in the air to the sound of the aged wood clacking against her wooden geta.

Her ears swiveled carefully, listening for the smallest indication of danger as she walked towards Harry's room. Every muscle in her frame was prepared, but her mind was occupied on the singular thoughts of ensuring her family's continued well-being.

As she neared, she paused, hearing a familiar voice, and it was the most relieving sound to ever grace her ears. Eventually the sounds of Kuroka's giggling filtered through the door. They were okay….

"Thank the goddess…" Yasaka breathed out, her shoulders slumping as the tension left her body. Unrestrained relief flooded her body as she released her power, taking in deep breaths, allowing herself to relax. They were alright. They were safe.

Still, she wanted to make sure they were okay and ask them about what had just happened. No doubt, Harry was involved somehow. Shaking her head in exasperation, she gripped the handle of Harry's door and pulled.

"Harry-san! Kuroka-san! Are you two…"

Immediately, Yasaka froze as an overpowering scent in the room entered her nose. Her steps faltered as her mind immediately made the connection, a light blush overcoming her normally serene expression. Her gaze immediately zoned in on the less than clothed figures of her two best friends, leaving little leeway as to what they had been up to previously. Her vision was so tunneled, that she missed everyone else in the room completely.

Harry and Kuroka jumped, startled as the door slid open without warning, and they turned, their eyes going wide as their closest friend walked in, her frame frozen and her eyes wide. Death and Ophis followed their alarm, one slightly concerned while the other was just curious. Lilith was still napping away peacefully, completely unaware.

"Yasaka-sama…"

"Yasaka-san…"

Whatever came next after that was completely ignored as the golden fox mechanically bowed in apology, her gaze averted.

"I….I…I shall leave you to enjoy yourselves," she said shakily, still trying to process what she had seen and smelled. Swiftly, she turned, sliding the door shut, a little more forcefully than needed, ignoring the distressed voices calling out her name. For a moment she stood as still as a statue, and then turned swiftly on her heels and walked down the familiar hallways of her home, her mind buzzing away.

She went on blankly trying to clinically reviewed what she had just learned, but it was proving to be extremely difficult. Sex, the smell of Harry and Kuroka's scent mixing together so intimately was imprinted in her memories, and just remembering it made her face flush in embarrassment, denied arousal and a lingering yet sinking sense of…sadness.

Yasaka was happy for her friends, on some level. The black nekomata had been trying to get Harry to understand her feelings for almost a whole year now. It was really no secret to anyone in their household just how much Kuroka adored Harry, bar Harry himself of course. It was a common topic that Kuroka liked to complain to her about, though it usually came weaved in with praises and other less-than-clean wishes regarding the resident wizard. It was something that Yasaka had always found amusing.

Yes, if there was anyone that deserved happiness it was Kuroka. She had been through much in her short years, and sometimes it was hard for Yasaka to remember that the nekoshou was less than half-a-century old, less than a tenth of her lifespan. Despite all of her childish antics, she was shockingly mature. It was one of the many reasons why Yasaka found it so easy to get along with her. Her ability to maintain such a cheerful outlook on life was also something she admired.

Like Kuroka, Harry had not had an easy life. He had often confided in her his worries, mainly his views on mortality and how she was able to deal with her own near lack of it. Some of his earliest memories, he admitted to her and Kuroka were of neglect and abuse. Sometimes she wondered how he hadn't scorned the world at that age. His pains were things she could relate to, namely the burden of loneliness and a fear of isolation, things that they had alieved of her by their arrival.

Harry was, by her best frame of reference, a prime example of a near-perfect man, in every way that counted anyway. Naturally, he had his flaws, namely his temper, slight tendency to rush into things, and his habit of falling into self-guilt, but he was also selfless, with a heart that always seemed to put someone else before his own. Kunou adored him, and Yasaka knew that it was only her daughter's fear of rejection that prevented her from outright calling him her papa. He had done so much by just being that figure though, and the kyuubi was eternally grateful for that.

But what now? Would Kuroka continue to spend time with her as often as she had before? Had she any need to discuss things with her and ask for advice? Was Harry going to have to pull away from her family to raise his own? It was no secret among the women, thanks to Death, that Harry's biggest and most desperate dream was to have his own family. She would never deny him something like that, and Kuroka too wanted her own children to raise.

She reasoned that they were their own people, and she really had no say in how their lives were meant to play out. Despite that…Yasaka was afraid, afraid of losing those connections, those precious, warm moments she had experienced with them. The golden fox didn't want those things to end.

A cold pit of ice settled in her chest as she thought of the idea of losing that sort of intimacy, that level of confidence that she had enjoyed for two years. It was precious to her. They were both her family and… it hurt to see them so happy, happy without…her.

So lost in her thoughts she was that she didn't even notice that she had reached the end of the hallway, almost about to walk straight into the wall. Yasaka frowned, her own feelings becoming more jumbled by the second as she tried to unravel the true depth of what she was experiencing, trying her best to ignore the prickling in her chest.

She walked onwards mechanically, eventually finding herself outside in the back gardens. With an appreciative yet sad smile she looked out over the overabundant flora that had flourished thanks to Harry's meticulous care. He had told her about why he liked to garden once, saying it reminded him of his terrible childhood. Seeing the flowers bloom once during the year had given him hope as an abused child. To know that, despite the unforgiving British winters, the flowers would go on, gave him strength.

Off on one side, a whole section had been devoted to the flowers of his mother's namesake; Kuroka particularly liked that corner. The sakura tree that overshadowed the patch was one of her favorite napping spots.

Carefully, she set herself down on the wooden patio, closing her eyes in contemplation, still no closer to understanding her conflicting emotions that continued to dig into her chest painfully. Every time she reflected on it, a frown would overtake her normally composed expression. She paused, startled, feeling something cold roll down her face.

Unsure, she used the back of her hand to wipe it away, only to find it wet, glistening underneath the sun almost traitorously.

Why? Why would she shed any tears? It was a happy occasion, meant to be celebrated. This was the beginning of Harry and Kuroka's family. They and she would remember this day for the rest of their lives.

She hung her head. Every time that thought crossed her mind, the pit in her heart just seemed to burrow deeper. She chuckled mirthlessly, her shoulders slumped.

Destined to be left behind again it seemed…but she could not and would not cry. She had to be happy, for them and for herself. This was good. They were meant to be together. Yet…why was it so hard for her to smile…

She tensed suddenly as the shogi doors behind her slid open, but she didn't need to turn to know who those delicate steps belonged to. Now clean, Yasaka took in the familiar scent of her best friend, feeling conflicted by the normally comforting scent. A piece of her wished for her to leave and another wanted nothing more than to hold her close and never let go.

Kuroka paused for a moment, her motions unsure, but after, she sat down next to the golden fox, their knees practically touching. The black cat squirmed a bit, unsure how to open the conversation.

For a moment neither of them said anything.

"Congratulations Kuroka-san. I'm happy for you," Yasaka expressed as genuinely as she could, but even she could hear the undertone of melancholy in her own voice.

Kuroka frowned. While she appreciated the words, the feeling behind them felt so…wrong. Yasaka was never one to say such things so simply, especially to her. Normally, there were a few implied jokes and light banter involved before she would say something so plainly. It was a sort of game they had played with each other for quite some time now. Hearing Yasaka's voice sound so…bland made her heart hurt.

"Yasaka-sama…" Kuroka said, her voice unsure, "What's wrong nya?" The black cat had never really seen her friend look so tepid. It was extremely uncharacteristic of the normally opinionated and witty youkai Kuroka had grown to know and cherish.

"Nothing," Yasaka replied a bit too quickly, unable to keep some of the bitterness out of her voice. She sighed, unable to look Kuroka in the face. "It…has just been a trying day at the palace."

The black nekoshou didn't buy it for one moment. While she knew Yasaka didn't particularly enjoy her job, she never once complained about it. With a frown, she got up and crouched down in front of Yasaka, her frown increasing as she noticed the fake smile that failed to reach Yasaka's eyes.

"That's not it at all isn't it nya? Yasaka, talk to me, please."

The golden fox closed her eyes in regret, attempting to lock away her turbulent emotions. The last thing she wanted to do was burden Kuroka with her troubles, especially since she didn't understand them herself.

"Yasaka…"

"There's nothing to tell," the fox snapped back reflexively, regretting it immediately at the hurt that flashed in her friend's eyes. However, it was soon replaced by determination after. Kuroka was hardly one to give up so easily.

"Your reply doesn't sound too convincing," Kuroka replied with a frown of her own, settling herself down in front of the obviously upset fox youkai. Yasaka said nothing, closing her eyes again, partially to try to imagine Kuroka not being there and partially in an attempt to reign in her rampant emotions. The longer the cat youkai stayed there, the more her feelings confused her. The combined ache and throbbing were not helping her settle her thoughts.

"Please do not concern yourself with me Kuroka. Harry-san is surely waiting for you to return. I don't believe that being apart from him now is…"

"He'll be fine without me nya," the black cat asserted immediately and confidently, her expression transforming with worry and care, "He'd be more concerned if I let you stay out here by yourself while I knew you were upset nya. Please tell me what's wrong Yasaka-sama. Was it…was it something I did?"

"No," the golden fox assured immediately, feeling guilty for the thought to even cross her friend's mind, "You haven't done anything to make me unhappy. Neither has Harry…" It was the opposite actually. They had made her too happy, and now she wanted to keep it, desperately. However, Yasaka felt that such a selfish wish would result in nothing more than tragedy.

Kuroka looked at the fox strangely, noting the unusual expression that flashed on her face at the mention of her hopeful mate. She didn't understand. The black cat hadn't mentioned anything about the wizard, yet Yasaka had taken it upon herself to do so.

Kuroka paused, thinking it over, her thoughts going in every which direction. Ultimately, they kept converging on one conclusion though, one that filled her with caution and some hurt.

"Yasaka…do you…are you not happy that Harry and I are together nya?" she asked seriously, her golden eyes looking into the equally enchanting eyes of her friend, looking for a true answer.

"No! Of course not! I've always encouraged you and hoped…."

"Your hands are folded tightly. Your ears are slightly flopped down and your tails are restless nya," Kuroka stated flatly which quickly gave way to concern, "I know when you're lying or holding back Yasaka nya. Why can't you just tell me?" The fox looked down at her lap, refusing to meet her friend's gaze, lest she break down even more than she already had.

"Because…it's selfish," the golden fox finally admitted her voice cracking slightly, squeezing her eyes shut as she did so, clutching her kimono while her traitorous emotions hammered against her chest. Kuroka's head tilted in confusion.

Selfish? Yasaka? That didn't make any sense to the black nekomata. Yasaka was one of the most benevolent people she had ever had the pleasure of meeting. Her thoughts constantly wandered to the welfare of others, whether it be the nation or her precious daughter. Even with their short time together, Yasaka had been more than accommodating and kind. She was practically the exact opposite of selfishness.

Kuroka knew one thing though…her best friend was hurting badly.

Carefully, the black cat leaned forward and enveloped the shaking woman in a warm hug, nuzzling against her neck, an ancient youkai sign of affection, a promise of trust. Yasaka latched onto her like a lifeline, almost as if she were to disappear any moment.

"It's okay nya," Kuroka murmured into her as she felt Yasaka shiver against her, "Sometimes I think you should be more selfish Yasaka nya. Doing things for yourself isn't wrong…" The golden kyuubi held the nekomata even more tightly, her heart clenching at the honest response. "You can tell me anything nya. It'll work out. If not, I'll get Harry to fix it nyahaha." The fox gave out a watery chuckle in response, a wavering ghost of a grin appearing on her face. Kuroka pulled back and returned the small chuckle with her widest grin hoping to cheer up the fox youkai. "So, are you going to tell me or not nya? You can trust me with anything I promise."

"I know Kuroka," Yasaka said warmly, feeling a bit better. Despite that, it didn't really help her in expressing her true thoughts which the fox was still baffled by. Sighing, she looked away from Kuroka, trying to find the right words to say.

"Just say what's on your mind nya," Kuroka encouraged simply.

"I…I was afraid of losing this…" the kyuubi said with no small amount of embarrassment, "I know it's silly of me and completely untrue…but I was…for a lack of better word…heartbroken. You and Harry mean so much to me, to my family. I feared that I would be cut out of your lives…"

Kuroka scrunched up her brow in protest, only to be cutoff as Yasaka continued to pour out her feelings.

"I was afraid…afraid of being alone again. After so many years, I had something I so desperately wanted for so long. People I could open up to. Friends that I could rely and trust for anything…I never felt so…loved. Me…a broken youkai…"

"Yasaka you're not…"

"No…I am Kuroka…" Yasaka replied sadly, appreciating the defense, "My life is one of near-unending solitude. I was chosen to inherit the throne at a young age by the Goddess because of my power. It separated me, kept me away from the rest. I have lived for centuries without knowing or remembering the warmth of such intimate interaction." The fox youkai took a deep breath, knowing she was essentially spilling her deepest fears to the black cat, but…that was okay. She trusted Kuroka.

"My breaking point came when my first mate, someone who I thought would be with me forever, betrayed me," she said, tears in her eyes as she remembered that day. It was a black-mark on her record, a scar that wouldn't go away, a crack that hadn't been repaired. Broken. "I later learned two months later that I was pregnant with Kunou… I've kept to myself ever since. Afraid of being hurt again. I feared…attachment."

"Yasaka…"

"But then…I met you and Harry and Death and…suddenly my lonely life was filled with so much…spark. My empty home became filled with so many extraordinary people. And I was…so happy, so blissfully happy. I was having fun, enjoying my life, maybe for the first time in centuries. I had people who cared for me."

"But then…I thought I was going to lose it all again. Just because you finally united with Harry. It's unreasonable and selfish and so terrible of me…but…watching you two be so happy, without me, made me feel…abandoned again. I don't want to lose what I've treasured for these last two years. And I know I'm wrong, but I can't help this heartache I feel, this wish to…to…keep you both…"

Kuroka blinked as she took in everything Yasaka confessed. Carefully, she leaned forward and wiped away the tears that escaped from her closest friend. Kuroka looked into those two golden orbs, still beautiful despite the tears. She could feel the depth of the emotion and the turmoil, but she saw the one thing she was looking for.

Suddenly, she started giggling. Yasaka seemed to not be so amused.

"I fail to see what's so funny Kuroka-san," the golden fox said, hurt in her voice. She had hoped the cat would have understood…

"You're funny," Kuroka said plainly and simply, leaning forward to stare into the two slightly angry yellow orbs of her best friend. Without any preamble, the black cat darted forward…and Yasaka's eyes widened in surprise as she felt a pair of soft lips cover her own. However, after a moment, she lost herself in it, pushing forward with abandon, pouring her own feelings and frustrations into it.

Without a doubt this was Kuroka, her scent, her presence, the unending warmth…It was absolutely wonderful…

After a few more heated moments, Kuroka pulled back with a grin worthy of the Cheshire himself. Her face was slightly flushed, but there was a happiness there that Yasaka was almost certain she would have found on her own face.

"You have a weird way of telling people you're in love with them nya," Kuroka said playfully as she nipped at Yasaka's neck, embracing her close, a purr rumbling through her chest. Suddenly, as if she had been broken out of a drunken stupor, Yasaka yelped in embarrassment, feeling her face heat up. She struggled against Kuroka's grip, but ultimately failed as her own will and Kuroka's defeated her.

Love? Her? In love? How? What? Who!?

"Hmm…I think you owe Harry one of those kisses too later nya," Kuroka said with a chuckle, and to her mortification, Yasaka felt her own imagination agree with the idea!

"You…you kissed me..." Yasaka spluttered.

"Nya…you didn't like it nya?" Kuroka asked mischievously, rubbing herself against Yasaka, purring the whole time as she knew she was getting a good reaction out of the normally composed youkai, "Maybe you'd like to kiss me and Harry at the same time nya?"

"Kuroka!" Yasaka exclaimed, scandalized by the idea and by the fact that she couldn't find it in herself to object! What was wrong with her! What was she thinking!

"You're so adorable Yasaka…chan nya," the black nekomata cooed, giggling as she watched her best friend's face flush red as her ears pinned themselves to her head.

"This…this isn't…"

"It's okay to be happy Yasaka…I want you to be happy. Harry wants you to be happy. Kunou, Shirone…everyone wants you to be happy. It's okay to be a little selfish nya," Kuroka restated seriously but kindly, "If you don't love me…if you don't love Harry…if this doesn't make you happy. Tell me nya."

"I…it...I mean…." the Kyoto ruler tried, only to stumble fantastically. With each passing word that failed to express what she felt, Kuroka's grin continued to grow. After a few moments, the black cat had mercy on the stammering golden fox and kissed her again, softly and tenderly, wanting to convey all of her adoration and care into it. The golden kyuubi failed to resist at all.

Yasaka didn't know what to say. Love? Was she in love with Kuroka? With Harry? In love with two people…

However, deep down, she knew what Kuroka said held an inkling of truth. How had she not noticed it? How had she really fallen in love with her two best friends? It was a thought that simultaneously freed her and scared her more than anything. What was she going to do now? How was she going to figure this out!?

Looking into the bright grinning face of the stunning woman in front of her was really all the answer she needed though. Did it even matter?

With an embarrassed smile, she buried her face into Kuroka's own embrace, rumbling happily in agreement as she felt the ache in her heart subside and be replaced with a content lull. She pulled Kuroka close, humming happily as she returned Kuroka's affection with her own. It was going to be okay.

After a few more moments of pleasurable silence and some more petting, Yasaka was starting to clear some of the doubts she held. It allowed her to come to terms to what she now could feel in her heart.

She was in love with Harry and Kuroka. How absolutely absurd… She actually started giggling at the sheer ridiculousness of it all! But it was the truth…and her heart swelled joyfully at the thought. Idly, she wondered if she would be able to kiss Harry later like Kuroka promised…

Suddenly, a thump from behind caused Yasaka to turn abruptly and stop. Instantly, all color left her face as she stared into the very confused eyes of her daughter and Shirone, whose faces were showcasing what it meant to be completely rendered dumbfounded.

The white cat's expression was sort of frozen, as she mechanically looked back and forth between her sister and the leader, not hiding the fact that they had heard and seen everything. Yasaka and Kuroka!? Together? Nothing made sense anymore…

Kunou just looked confused, and blurted out the first thing that came to her mind.

"Um…does this mean Kuroka is my papa now?"

* * *

Sometimes, Harry really wondered what the point of having a long and well-experienced life was if you couldn't draw any sort of understanding from it. With age comes wisdom they say. You'll understand when you grow older. It's something you'll learn when you get more experience…

He didn't think those idioms really applied this this situation, at all actually.

Tonight's dinner was prepared courtesy of Yasaka, as usual. Though what was unusual was the lengthened table and extra amount of cushions set out on the floor. Instead of the normal amount of six spots, there were now eight, and those two spots seemed to be the sole source of the heavy tension lingering in the air.

"Papa! Papa! Feed me please!" Lilith asked with a toothy smile as she bounced in place next to her father, eager to experience her first meal ever, her eyes glittering with excitement as her nekomata senses took in the scent of home cooked food for the first time. It smelled absolutely heavenly. Her memories as Lilith the snake only really associated food with survival. Taste hadn't really mattered…

"Don't bounce too much Lilith," Harry lightly reprimanded with an amused grin, "We don't want you knocking anything around on the table okay?" Dutifully, he filled up her plate and helped her choose what to eat. Harry knew that as a technically new life, his daughter didn't really understand a lot of things about human-like living.

"Okay Papa!" she agreed as she opened her mouth to receive some rice and fish, purring happily as the flavors agreed with her palate, her ears and tails wiggling around happily.

"Don't spoil her too much Harry," Kuroka reprimanded lightly despite the smile present on her face, "Our little kitten is going to have to learn how to eat for herself you know nya."

"Mama is just jealous that Papa is feeding me nya," Lilith replied flippantly, mischief in her eyes as she nuzzled into Harry's side. However, she paused, her eyes curious. "Mama, what does jealous mean?"

"Why you little…" the black nekomata growled, only to school herself quickly after. Still, that didn't prevent Kuroka from flicking her daughter's ear as punishment, chuckling as Lilith hissed in discomfort.

"I can see that some of the old Lilith-san is in there then," Yasaka added, her expression amused but contemplative, "I still can't wrap my mind around her existence though…and I feel that asking would be an exercise in futility…" Pointedly the golden fox stared at the other unusual and very unnerving person sitting at their table. Though, the recipient of said stare completely ignored it, opting instead to thoroughly enjoy her meal.

"You're not going to get much out of Ophis, Yasaka-sama," Death said dismissively, "She's like a naïve child anyway."

"Death, is just bitter that Kuroka got Harry first," Ophis retorted unabashedly as she finished her fourth bowl of rice, ignoring the denial of her fellow endless, "Secretly, she is just happy to have more reasons to be with Harry but does not wish to credit me with it. She, is also too shy to…"

"Shut it!" Death screeched, her face red as she placed her hands over Ophis' mouth, hoping to silence the blunt aspect. Suddenly, there was a pulse of power and a second copy of Ophis sat down next to the original one, picking up the chopsticks that the Infinite Dragon God had been using, continuing on with her dinner as if nothing had happened. She would not be denied good food.

Watching all of this, Yasaka couldn't help but wonder if all the strongest beings in existence were as ridiculous as these two…

Looking to her right, the elder Kyuubi frowned as she noted the stiff posture of her daughter who was glaring daggers at the youngest nekomata in the room who was currently being petted by Harry. Her eye seemed to twitch every time Lilith called Harry, Papa, and it was obviously to Yasaka why. She would have to talk with her daughter later.

Shirone was glaring daggers at someone else entirely, and the kyuubi couldn't help but chuckle at the reason why. The white nekomata's face seemed so betrayed as she kept attempting to fill her plate, only to be denied by the gluttonous dragon who was now eating twice as much with two clones. That was her food! Every time she went for a portion of the dinner, there was barely enough left for her because Ophis was hogging it all! It was a complete travesty, a crime against her person! Internally, she vowed to get revenge on the Infinite Dragon God, somehow or someway.

Yasaka sat back and just observed the insanity that had descended into her home, shaking her head.

Just another normal day in their household it seemed….

* * *

Well that's mostly it for the prequel to the DxD storyline. There will likely be one omake chapter before the start of the next arc dealing with a few things and detailing other scenes.

I think I've also beat the papa joke into the ground, but I just couldn't' resist. I'll be stepping away from that one for now though. I swear…

Until next time,

-Woona the Cat


	6. Ch5: Doctor and Doctor

Disclaimer: I own no rights to Harry Potter or High School DxD.

"Speaking"

" _Parsel"_

'Thoughts'

* * *

Chapter 5: Doctor and Doctor

Not a spec of light registered against the fluttering eyelids of one Harry Potter as he awoke in comforting darkness, his senses taking in the scents of his family and lovers. Idly, he mentally cast a _tempus_ charm, finding his arms and legs to be rather occupied at the moment in their nightly job of being pillows and hugging replacements. With a slight groan, he tried to close his eyes again to drift back into peaceful slumber as his mind reviewed the dreadful truth of the actual time. He never did know why he had learned to wake up at five every morning…

However, he paused, remembering that today was a very important day for his family and a silly grin stretched across his face as he contemplated it further. It was definitely a new experience he was looking forward to, and given his long life and experiences, that was rather rare.

Today was Shirone's first day of high school. His little sister was growing up way too fast! He almost couldn't believe that she was going to turn sixteen soon in a few months. It only seemed like yesterday he had rescued her and his now wife of five years from the Underworld. Had it already been almost nine years?

Kunou, who was turning fourteen in a few weeks, had complained and whined that she would miss her elder sister for nearly a whole week already, not so subtly throwing a few tantrums here and there. It had been rather cute actually that the somewhat spoiled fox princess didn't bother to hide how much it bothered her. Shirone had been rather good with it, doing her best to spoil the fox princess a bit as her apology.

At least Lilith would still be around to handle the temperamental fox youkai. She had grown very fast during her first few years, quickly catching up to Kunou's looks in age, a quirk of her dragon psychology according to Ophis who explained that dragons were expected to grow up fast. The mischievous child had blasted her way through the education system, and the only reason questions weren't asked, as her status as a prodigy was well known, was due to Yasaka's influence.

The grey nekomata, now entering her first decade, had only bothered so she could get into Kunou's grade apparently, finding it more fun to tease and mess with her pseudo-sister than stay in the lower grades. None of them really interested her too much, and the old-snake was more often than not, found attached to Kunou's side if not at her father's. Needless to say, Kunou found herself in a lot of trouble more often than not due to Lilith.

Harry suddenly smiled as he felt one of his lovers stir, finding her eyes glowing in the darkness as she registered the waking of her chosen mate.

"Morning Yasaka," he said warmly, and the woman's response was to wrap her tails around his waist, snuggling deeper into his side, taking in his pleasing scent. Of all the people that shared his bed, only Yasaka was a morning person.

"Are you ready for today?" she murmured into his chest, sending pleasing rumbles from her chest as she idly flicked her tails.

"I believe so. Hopefully Kunou-chan doesn't get too upset," Harry said with an amused chuckle, "She takes after her mother a lot you know. Rather prideful but well-meaning."

"Shush you. She's picked up more bad habits from you than I could even care to mention," she bit back with a smile, "Why just yesterday, I faintly recall her crashing into another tree again...trying to emulate her father…not to mention her recent talent for causing trouble for her teachers…." Harry grinned.

"I resent that…"

"Nughhh nyyaaa," the bleary voice of one of their other bedmates groaned as her eyes and ears twitched to the sounds of her lovers bantering, "It's too early for flirting nya...let me sleep some more Harry nya." Kuroka wrapped herself tighter around one of his arms, her tails beginning to sway, signaling her slow thrust into alertness. "How do you two even have any energy this early nya…especially from last night…"

"Aww did we tire you out Kuroka-dear?" Yasaka asked with a pleased grin, tickling the resisting-to-wake nekoshou with one of her tails, "And here I thought you were the self-proclaimed…"

"Finish that and I'm not letting you leave the bed this morning Yasaka nya," Kuroka purred in a predatory manner, having somehow managed to wrap herself around the fox youkai in a split second, "Maybe you'd like that though nya. Wouldn't you enjoy me having my wicked way with such and innocent and pure soul nya. I faintly recall you squirming underneath me and at my mercy last night…"

"Devil," the fox bit back, her blushing hidden in the dark, lightly biting Kuroka's neck affectionately.

"I love you too nya," the black cat said with a purr.

"As much as I'd love to see that, we should get ready for the day. And, you know those two won't wake for another hour at least," Harry suggested as he gestured to the last two remaining figures in the bed who were holding each other now, using the other as a substitute for one of Harry's legs.

Kuroka and Yasaka both smiled as they watched Death and Ophis continue to snooze the morning away. Even after eight or so years of living together, Death still acted like she couldn't stand the Infinite Dragon God. It was rather cute really, especially when Kuroka called her out on her tsundere traits. Despite her somewhat cold attitude when dealing with the stoic Dragon God, it definitely never stopped her in the bedroom. Ophis just seemed to know what to do to get right underneath Death's skin…

Predictably, when Harry exited his morning shower, he found Death once again adamantly insisting she definitely didn't enjoy cuddling with Ophis or kissing her or anything, her face flaming red. Ophis took it all with characteristic ease, smiling the whole time and waiting till the end of the less-honest deity to peck her simply on the cheek, giggling at the steam that seemed to rise from Death's ears.

"Morning you two," he said with a laugh as Death jumped, as if she were caught doing something she wasn't supposed to. She relaxed though as the familiar face of her lover and master soothed her worries.

"Good morning Master," she answered, leaning forward as Harry took the hint and gave her the good morning kiss she expected, "Did you sleep well?"

"Of course," he answered, "A bit excited for today. I wonder how Shirone-chan will take it. We haven't told her yet, and it's supposed to be a surprise."

"Nyhaha, I think it'll be funny," Kuroka replied, picturing her little sister's reaction. No doubt it would be comical.

"Papa! Are you up yet! We're hungry!" two voices on the opposite side of the door called as they knocked on the door loudly, causing Harry and his lovers to chuckle. He wondered how long they had been standing there waiting to hear his voice…

"I blame you Yasaka, your daughter has infected mine with enjoying mornings nya," Kuroka said with an impish laugh, nipping at the lovely fox in her arms. Yasaka hummed noncommittally, smiling as she brought the woman in her arms into the crook of her neck.

"Rin and Akane always were inseparable," Harry replied, turning to the door he answered warmly, "We'll be out in a minute honey. Can you two make sure to wake up Lily, Kunou and Shirone for me? I'm sure Shirone is up, but you know how the other two are."

"Yes Daddy!" they chorused together before scampering away to bother their sleepy sisters. Harry easily imagine them running off with mirrored grins, their tails wiggling behind them.

Rin and Akane had been born only two weeks apart. The former was Yasaka's, having fully inherited her mother's youkai traits, nine tails and all. She was almost a splitting image of her mother, save for one rather important fact. Instead of the golden blond locks that her mother possessed, Rin's hair was a fiery crimson red, from her father's maternal side. Her eyes were all her mother's though, and Harry always joked that if they had dyed Yasaka's hair red and shrunk her, it would have been Rin.

Akane was aptly named by Kuroka. In accordance with what their family seemed to do, Akane too was named for her hair coloration like her mother and aunt. She bore the same bright red that her half-sister sported, much to Rin's never-ceasing delight. However, Akane had inherited Harry's distinct emerald green eyes, but she was definitely Kuroka's daughter, considering her penchant for pranks and mischief.

The paired five-year olds never seems to want to do anything without the other, and the Red Sisters, as they were nicknamed, were adored by everyone in the house.

"Well I'd better start breakfast. Lord knows Shirone will be displeased if she doesn't get her fill," Harry said with a grin.

"I, expect there to be enough yes?" Ophis asked imperiously. It seemed more like a statement than anything else really, but the Master of Death and Kitchen simply nodded, used to Ophis after living with her for so long. Pleased, the Infinite Dragon God went back to teasing Death.

About thirty minutes later, the table was set, the coffee and tea were brewed, and breakfast was ready.

"Mouu I still don't get why Shirone-chan couldn't go to school closer," Kunou pouted as she dug into breakfast, "Kuoh seems so far away!"

"Now now, Kunou," Yasaka replied warmly, "You know that this is a very good opportunity for Shirone-chan. And you won't even notice that she's gone. And Harry set up a portal to the other house just a few days ago."

"It'll be like just a bigger house nya," Kuroka replied with an encouraging smile, "Harry said the portal was seamless so it'll be just like walking through another door nya."

"Doesn't mean I have to like it," Kunou grouched, peeking at Shirone out of the corner of her eye to see how it would affect her, "Why do we have to wait till next year to go there!"

"Because you still haven't mastered keeping a secret yet," Yasaka pointed out with a smirk. In response, the little fox princess pouted.

"I'll play whenever you want Kunou-hime," Shirone replied dutifully, laughing a bit inside, knowing how her best friend's mind worked, "Besides, you'll still have Lily-chan with you at school."

Kuoh Academy was a well-known and prestigious school, praised for its rigorous curriculum and available facilities. It sported facilities for all grades from primary all the way up to college. It used to be a girls-only academy. However, from this year onward, it was opening its doors to both genders.

If Harry were being honest, that was one of the main reasons he agreed to send Shirone there. There would be less boys for him to deal with because he wasn't sure how his overprotective traits would translate to dealing with possible suitors to his little sister. Just thinking about it made him want to blow something up!

Taking a deep breath, Harry dispersed that unpleasant thought. He was more worried for other reasons to be truthful.

"You've made sure your presence is concealed right Shirone?" Harry questioned dutifully, earning a confirming nod from the white cat, "If you think they suspect anything, make sure to tell me as soon as you can." With that, Harry passed to her a small golden necklace. It was simple enough, but Harry had imbued it with powerful glamour charms.

The moment Shirone put it on, her hair turned a rich brown color, and her eyes were similarly transformed into a warm hazel. It was a very normal and unassuming combination.

"That is so weird…" Kunou muttered as she looked over her best friend, frowning a bit. She definitely preferred Shirone in her normal colors.

"I know Kunou-chan, but this is the best way to protect Shirone. Remember that this school is under control of the devils. If they discovered that she was related to Kuroka, it would be very bad," Harry advised, reaching over to straighten Shirone's uniform, "Besides Shirone still looks lovely either way."

The younger nekomata blushed but preened a bit at the praise.

"I still can't believe you registered her as Moka Potter," Death deadpanned and, Ophis nodded in agreement. The running gag that every nekoshou was named after a color was quite silly in their opinion.

"What nya? It's tradition!" Kuroka declared passionately, "It makes the name cute and adorable too nya." Everyone at the table simply shook their heads, knowing arguing it was a moot point. Soon enough, breakfast was finished, namely when Ophis and Shirone finally decided that maybe going for fifths was a bit much. School would begin in less than thirty minutes after all.

With a quick kiss to his other wives and a loving hug to his children, Harry walked with Shirone and Kuroka through a Western style door in the parlor. Idly, he checked the magic as he passed through the threshold, nodding in satisfaction as his senses confirmed that the portal was stable. They exited into the other house's master bedroom. Harry had placed it there for security purposes.

Their house in Kuoh was moderately large sized, possessing enough room to house their whole family and one or two guests. The standards that were demanded of the dwelling by his family really only amounted to a high grade kitchen and a large living room. Ophis and Shirone really wanted to make sure their five-star tastes were uninhibited.

Harry wondered how often he and the rest of his family would be staying here. By his predictions, Rin and Akane were likely to come every other day at least. By association, the rest of his family would also follow as everyone loved to dote on the two younger. Plus, considering he and Kuroka were now working nearby, one of them would have to keep an eye on the house when they were not at their jobs to keep appearances up.

"Are you all set Shirone?" Harry asked as he double checked his enchantments. Shirone nodded and drew him into a tight hug. With a small huff of amusement, Harry patted her head lovingly. "Knock em dead then ya? Make sure to make some new friends okay?" She nodded again into his chest.

"Nyahah my little Shirone-chan is growing up," Kuroka gushed, glomping her sister and nuzzling her face against hers, "Have a good day okay nya?"

"Bye Onii-sama. Onee-chan," she said softly as she opened the front door and walked out. With a sharp click, the door closed, leaving the duo in the house to stare for a few moments.

"Think she suspects anything?"

"Not a chance nyahah!"

* * *

Rias Gremory, a pureblooded heiress to one of the most prominent clans of the 72 pillars, watched intently as the students of Kuoh Academy began filing in past the front gates. Hundreds of students had passed through this morning, and she had been looking for the ones that seemed exciting or particularly interesting.

So far, her hunt hadn't provided much other than that one brown haired boy who had noticed her. She sighed, biting her finger lightly in worry. She knew it was coming soon, and her only way of possibly coming out on top was to ensure her victory. Her hopes weren't too high though right now.

"Ara ara still keeping vigil Buchou?" the silky voice of her best friend, Akeno, purred, "Are there any lively ones?"

"Unfortunately, only one or two have peaked my interest," the redheaded devil admitted with a disappointed sigh, "Perhaps I was a bit too optimistic to hope for something like a miracle."

"You shouldn't be so quick to give up Rias," Akeno replied with an understanding frown, "You never know what could happen."

"Be that as it may," Rias said, "It's time for the welcoming ceremony. Let's go. Otou-sama mentioned something about some new faces this year, and it is my duty as heiress to be familiar with his employees." Spinning on her heels, the young devil turned away from her observation. "Ensure that the others are there, yes?"

"Of course Buchou," Akeno said with a practiced bow.

As the smooth steps of Akeno faded away, Rias looked one last time to the sky, silently praying. There wasn't much time left.

* * *

Shirone was a little bit ticked. Mainly because of a small group of guys in the back of the auditorium kept _whispering_ about the various beautiful girls of Kuoh Academy. Her sensitive hearing was able to pick up almost every obscene and vulgar thing they were so ardently discussing. Though, the girls around them were also suffering. If she heard the word boobs or breasts one more time, she was going to personally march over there and pummel the into the ground!

"To our returning students," the girl at the podium, the student council president, said confidently, "Welcome back. We hope you have had an enjoyable break. To our new faces, welcome to Kuoh Academy. May your endeavors here bear fruit and a future of fortune." A loud cheer from the crowd erupted from the gathered students, and Shirone clapped politely, happy at least to be able to drown out the shameless perverts in the back.

"Wonderful speech President Shitori. Now before everyone is dismissed from class. I'd like to introduce some new teachers to you all," the red headed man who had headed the ceremony said, "It is my genuine pleasure to present Dr. Harry James Potter and his lovely wife Dr. Kuro Potter. They have agreed to teach physics for the foreseeable future."

Shirone froze as she watched her brother and sister step onto the stage, earning a wide array of catcalls and cheers. Despite their slightly altered appearance, she could immediately tell it was them. Kuroka's signature black tresses were still there, but her eyes had been changed into a stunning violet shade. She wore a form-fitting, black business suit and pencil skirt, and Shirone's eyes twitched a bit as she noted the unbuttoned top, allowing a sneaky bit of cleavage to show.

Harry too had changed his eyes, transforming them from the normally stunning emeralds into a frosty blue color. Despite this, they shined with an intensity that she could only attribute to her brother. He wore a bit more casual getup, with just a button up, tie and slacks. However, his unruly hair and charming smile made much of the female population swoon. All in all, they looked very, very good.

"Thank you for that Director," Harry replied for the two of them, waving casually to the whole student body, "We hope to have a productive year and get to know our students well. Please treat us kindly." With that Kuroka and Harry bowed slightly, earning another roar of cheers.

The white nekoshou's twitching didn't lessen when her sister found her in the large crowd and waved cheekily.

Harry owed her at least a cake for this!

* * *

"Did you see them? They looked sooo good together!"

"I know and Potter-sensei was so dreamy too. I think he's from Europe, maybe noble blood!"

"Do you think he's easily seduced? I mean his wife is so beautiful! Maybe one of us has a chance?"

"Kyyaaa! He's married! How scandalous!"

"Those boobs! That ass! Her thighs! Dammit all! Why can't I get a beauty like that!?"

"She's stacked in every category! Lucky bastard probably gets to do it every night too!"

"Damn Bishounen! Enemy of all lonely men!"

Apparently, the entire school was in an uproar about the two new teachers. Everywhere Shirone went, she could hear whispers of conversation about them and those three boys who kept shouting about their perverted fantasies didn't add to its appeal in the slightest.

Sighing, she knew that it would eventually die down, but hearing girls talk about Harry so brazenly kind of pissed her off a little bit. Harry belonged to…

No. No. No. She was not going to go down this route again! Harry-oniisama was much too old for her. Even though he was nice, and funny, and cooked really, really good food. His eyes were so mesmerizing and she loved to cuddle into his chest when it was cold. And his power…she shivered at the thought of him potentially pulling her close and….

Stop! Shirone slapped her rapidly reddening cheeks. It wasn't right! Harry was her sister's husband and mate! These were just teenage hormones, nothing more. With that squared away, Shirone schooled herself once again, putting on an impressive, impassive mask. Then she froze.

"Moka-chan! Moka-chan!" the easily recognizable voice of her sister called from across the hallway. Gracefully, Kuroka made her way over to her shell-shocked sister, a barely-restrained laugh on her face. "You forgot lunch, and Harry made you extra." Shirone was immediately broken out of her trance at the words "lunch", almost drooling at the sound. "He says he'll make you a cake later if you forgive him ny...okay?"

Accepting the slightly large lunchbox, almost reverently, Shirone nodded, deciding that a little bit embarrassment was worth a whole cake. She could already imagine how delicious it was going to be.

"Okay," Shirone admitted softly.

"Great!" Kuroka replied, hugging the younger girl tightly and kissing her forehead adoringly, "We'll see you later ny..yes?" Numbly, the white nekoshou nodded as her sister walked away, feeling the inquisitive stares of everyone watching in the hallway.

With a small blush, Shirone ran off to her first period.

However, that didn't stop her from sneaking some of her lunch in before her math teacher showed up. She almost lost control of her nekomata side when the first bite of takoyaki made it past her lips, hot as if it just came off the grill thanks to Harry's charms. He had planned it all along and stuck in those snacks on purpose…

She supposed she'd forgive them this time, but that didn't mean she wasn't going to try to get Harry to double his cake promises. It'd be a cold day in Hell when her inner devil didn't attempt to make good use of such a golden opportunity.

* * *

Teaching wasn't something new to Harry. Heck, he could actually say he was a more effective teacher than his own when he was just sixteen and teaching the DA. Those were some fond memories, and also the source of his lifetime desire to teach and educate. There was just something captivating about the moment when his students finally grasped a difficult concept or connected the dots conceptually.

Of course, to teach, he had to learn. He hadn't sat idly in his long centuries. He had continued to move forward, exploring and watching. After his magical excursions in his old world, he had immersed himself in the non-magical world. There were things that would have likely blown some of his teacher's minds, theories of the universe, direct manipulation of the human genetic code to cure disease, engineering feats that were beyond even the Founder's foresight, and so much more. He had always known that the non-magical side of the world had developed greatly, despite the words of people like Malfoy.

So, in his quest for knowledge, he studied, earning masteries and doctorates in whatever subject suited his fancy. Sometimes it was advanced astrophysics. Other times it was molecular neuroscience. Two hundred years or so was a lot of information to take in after all, and his knowledge was vastly superior to anything available in this current dimension that seemed to be about three hundred or so years behind in technology.

Thus, while he felt bad about it in some ways, he had used his knowledge to thrust him and Kuroka into the scientific scene in an explosive manner.

Nine years had passed, and Kuroka and he had gone to university to earn their degrees, the former only really doing it to amuse herself and stay with Harry at first. Though, once she had managed to look past that, she found herself fascinated by some of the theories humans had discovered and proposed, especially in regards to space and time, her area of direct interest.

With Harry's advanced knowledge and help, they had worked together on many joint publications that were making waves in the science community worldwide. It wasn't all just Harry either. Kuroka's mind proved to be invaluable, and her ability to directly test some of their theories regarding space and time were absolutely essential to the things they had discovered and rediscovered together.

"Potter-sensei, is it true that you and your wife really proposed a theory on how we could harness other dimensions, like wormholes and dimensional pockets?" one of his students, a third year female with blood-red hair asked.

"We did indeed Gremory-san," Harry said with an encouraging grin, "While I won't bore anyone here with the gritty details, I hope to someday help humanity realize that dream."

"Couldn't you be working at some famous research university then?" Rias asked with some concern.

"Yes we could, but after so much time in academics, it gets somewhat tiresome to be involved all the time. Besides, we didn't want to leave Kuro's sister here all by herself," Harry answered kindly, "We also wanted to take some time off for our family. However, we are in talks with the college portion of the academy as they have asked us to teach one or two advanced physics classes. We haven't decided to accept or decline yet."

"Is that how you met your wife, Potter-sensei? At college?" the girl next to Rias Gremory asked with a sly smile. She was Akeno Himejima, the rumored second Great Lady of Kuoh. Harry could see how a lot of the campus seemed to idolize them. They were beautiful young women after all; inhuman beauty awed those unaware.

"Please, you may all call me Harry-sensei okay? Potter-sensei could also refer to my wife, and I'd rather not make it so confusing if anyone has questions," Harry said with a warm smile.

"Harry always did like things to be informal," Kuroka replied with an amused grin, "It's part of his charm I guess n…hehe." At that a lot of the girls seemed to sigh and swoon in unison, murmurs of "perfect couple" and "dream-like" seeding them. "But we didn't meet at university. Harry actually saved me from a few…unscrupulous gentlemen a few years before that…"

At that, she had the whole class paying close attention now. The girls' eyes all seemed to be shining with near worship at the idea of a real-life hero or knight-like character. The males were all impressed with their professor. He was a real man it seemed, and his wife was absolutely, drop-dead gorgeous! If anyone wanted a role model for how to get a good wife, Harry James Potter seemed to be the ideal candidate.

"It wasn't all that impressive," Harry waved off with a small chuckle.

"Taking down a few dozen bad guys is usually considered impressive ny…ne?" Kuroka said as she saddled up to her lover, "Who knows what depraved and terrible things might have happened to me if you hadn't been there?" The room seemed to grow a bit hot as the students laid witness to what was obviously flirting between the two. It was heartwarming, but entirely inappropriate for the current setting.

"Kuro," Harry said with some warming, "Let's not distract our students yes?"

"Fiiinneee," Kuroka relented with an impish smile, pecking her husband on the cheek before retreating to her desk. All the girls seemed to giggle at the display and many of the boys were openly praying to someday be kissed so casually and lovingly by a stunning beauty one day.

"Now then class! Let's start the lessons yes? Today, we'll be starting with general mechanics and vectors…"

* * *

A few weeks passed quickly at Kuoh Academy. Harry and Kuroka were well received by the student body, often praised for their easygoing and relaxed attitude. It was common for stories to be passed around about Kuroka's open teasing of her husband, and both of them were subjects to more than a few crushes.

Shirone was settling in well too. At first, it had been a bit lonely without Kunou and Lilith, but at least she was able to see her sister and Harry every day. It wasn't as if she didn't see them at home either and everyone always did something together on the weekends. Rin and Akane were determined to transfer next year to the primary school since Shirone seemed to like it. Kunou and Lilith were likely to follow.

His students were doing great and had mostly taken to them rather well. Other than that one small problem group in second year, the infamous Perverted Trio, no one had made a big fuss of things. Ugh, just remembering their reaction to him and Kuroka was enough to make him want to facepalm and probably curse them. He was still contemplating the latter punishment…

Seriously…who just jumps up in the middle of class and yells about their sensei's boobs being the greatest, in front of her husband no less? He had given the trio more than his fair share of detentions for peeking and other less-than-acceptable behavior.

He just didn't get it… It was fine to appreciate the female form; he certainly did. It was another thing to do it with complete disregard to any social norms….to the point where it was creepy and unacceptable. Plus, peeking and perving was a crime you know! There were more to women than butts, boobs, thighs and a pretty face. But, he wouldn't deny the fact that they came with them was a welcome and a highly desirable bonus. He knew those three would continue to be problematic though…

Other than that, everything seemed to be going smoothly. No one had any inkling of their true identities and the integration into the academy was, so far, without problems. He and Kuroka had also accepted teaching at the college on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Little did they know, that one decision would be the start of all their problems and their next great adventure.

* * *

Somewhat of a short chapter, but a segway unto DxD

Until next time,

-Woona the Cat


	7. Omake 1

Disclaimer: I own no rights to Harry Potter or High School DxD.

"Speaking"

" _Parsel"_

'Thoughts'

* * *

Omake 1

 _Dinner Nyaight_

It had been about two months since Harry and co. had managed to settle down in Yasaka's household. Things had mostly been going well so far, and Kuroka and her sister seemed to be integrating themselves well into the household. Naturally, there were a few…bumps in the road, though they were mainly products of Kuroka's more fantastical whims. Honestly, he was amazed at the patience and calmness that Yasaka managed to project when dealing with her. Luckily, Shirone also helped reign her willful sister in. Slowly, he was getting to know the two sisters whose attitudes and actions were as similar as their hair color, night and day.

Kuroka was definitely the more excitable of the two. She wore her emotions proudly and passionately, always eager to express what she thought and felt at the drop of a hat. Consequently, her sister, Shirone, was often on the receiving end of her more enthused actions. Though, more and more of those seemed to involve him and Yasaka as of late. Still, he enjoyed her company, glad, in some sense, that she didn't feel the need to hold anything back.

Shirone was an interesting case. That was for certain. She had moments of intense emotion followed by a near complete lack of it. Her mood swings were often dependent on certain triggers. Food and sweets could instantly cause her face to warp into some of the most serene and happy expressions he had ever seen grace someone's face. On the other hand, when she was presented with something she disapproved of, namely some of her sister's lewder insinuations and actions, all emotion would disappear from her face. Her reactions could be a bit…extreme. He shuddered to think about being on the receiving end of her punishments.

Still, he was doing his best to get to know both of them which is what lead him to his current… predicament…

Everywhere he looked there were cats, cats and maids everywhere….

"I can take your order nyao!" their particularly perky server asked, bouncing lightly in place as her attached ears and tails followed her motions precisely. The frills of her maid dress also swung in tandem with her ears and tails, the ruffling sounds of fabric ghosting his ears. Harry couldn't help but stare a bit, wondering what they did to make the ears and tails so realistic. Was it some sort of mechanism? Or maybe it was some really strange polymer engineering? Or maybe…

"We'll take three orders of the special nya," Kuroka answered for Harry, giggling a bit as one of the cats in her lap nuzzled against her. Across from her, Shirone was playing with one of the smaller kittens, making sure to rub them in the exact spot behind the ears, her expression blissful.

"OK! Ano…and…I really like both of your costumes!" their server said with a light blush, her eyes trained on the flexing ears of my companions, her eyes wide and excited, "I think…I think the ears and tails are lovely! And you're both so pretty!"

"Nyhahah thank you!" Kuroka replied with a cheeky grin, grinning in delight, "You're not too bad yourself nya." Harry could only watch with some sense of morbid fascination as their cat-maid-waitress flushed prettily in response, chatting animatedly with his companions. This whole place and situation made him feel extremely out-of-touch and slightly uncomfortable. Harry didn't even know how to react to it. Should he compliment them? Should he mention something about cats and the atmosphere? There were a lot of problems…

Though maybe his greatest concern was that Death had recommended this place specifically to Kuroka…

Still, as Harry watched Kuroka and Shirone play with the plethora of cats gathered around their table, their expressions happy and unburdened, Harry found his own smile stretching across his face. Passively, he allowed a stray cat that had wandered into his lap to lie down and nap, listening to its happy purr.

At this point, he wasn't sure if it belonged to the cat or his companions truthfully.

* * *

 _No Magic Allowed_

Harry huffed in exhaustion as he swung his body out of the way as fast as he could, barely managing to dodge the swipe of green claws aiming for his face. He shuddered in undisguised fear as he felt the potent magical energy infused in those claws. Briefly, he met the golden-amber eyes of his attacked, noting the pleased shine in them. He then knew he was in trouble as he felt a claw smash into his gut, sending him tumbling to the floor.

"Nyhaha! You actually managed to dodge three!" Kuroka exclaimed with excitement, dismissing her claws as she allowed Harry to recover his breath, his chest heaving in and out heavily.

"You're…a…" Harry huffed as he straightened up slowly, groaning as his body protested.

"Devil! I know nya," she replied with a grin, sauntering up to her wizard friend, eying him once over, "Hmm not bad this time yup Next, four nya."

"Pft…You were holding back a bit weren't you Kuroka?" the amused voice of Death asked on the sidelines, her eyes inquisitive as she mentally reviewed the fight, "Master should have lost on the third assault. He was close, but just a bit short of dodging that one."

"Oops hehe," Kuroka said with some embarrassment, her face innocently smiling, "I figured it would help boost Harry's confidence nya."

"I'm right here you know…" Harry groaned as he waved his hand over his body, sighing in relief as he felt the healing spell course through him.

"The point of this is to get Harry to a level where he doesn't rely on magic," Death countered, ignoring her master completely, "Master lacks the physical prowess that is normally attributed to all-powerful beings. We're trying to rectify that remember?"

"Ehe...right nya," Kuroka replied sheepishly, properly reprimanded, "Sorry Harry nya."

"It's fine," the wizard replied, now properly recovered though still suffering from the phantom pains a bit, "I appreciate the sentiment, but Death is right. I need you to go all out on me. I need to feel the intent to kill. It's the only way for my body to gain the necessary reactions…without magic anyway." Kuroka nodded sheepishly.

For a few weeks now, Harry had been training, mainly by sparring with Kuroka. His limitations were that he was to use no magic to assist him in the fight, because Death had declared that using his powers for everything would be a crutch in the long run. Harry had agreed, reluctantly, knowing he was in for some very rough times.

He had figured that there really wasn't going to ever be a situation where his powers were completely rendered useless, but Death was right that being prepared was better than nothing. Thus, the concept of the end had roped their resident nekoshou into training him.

The first few times had been brutal. Harry had never really gone into a fight without the aid of magic before, especially not against a superior species with much higher specs than his own. Consequently, the first few spars were nothing more than beat downs, nothing he couldn't handle though.

Plus, he knew Death was right. Yasaka had relayed to him the scale of strength that some of the more powerful beings in this universe possessed. Apparently, some of them could destroy all of Japan if they so much as sneezed incorrectly. Harry had heard tales that there were warriors in this world that could level mountains with nothing but their pure strength alone with one swing of a sword…

Now that was terrifying…

Now, Harry was by no means unfit. He exercised regularly and worked out, but his physical parameters were nowhere near that level of supernatural power. Even Shirone possessed a strength that far surpassed his own. In a straight test of physical prowess, she had him beat by miles… So he needed to get stronger for certain.

After a few dozen beat downs, courtesy of Kuroka's claws, Harry had finally managed to progress, albeit barely. Dodging a claw imbued with quantum-space magic was no small feat after all. Doing it more than once was even harder…

"Alright, I'm ready. Let's go again!" Harry called out, getting into position.

"Alright nya! Here I come!" Kuroka yelled out as her magic flared into the air again. With a burst of speed, she lunged.

This was only the beginning, Harry mused as he ducked, his reactions exceeding any normal human standard. He still had to fight Yasaka after this too…

* * *

 _Cats Always Land on Their Feet_

"Flying Shirone-chan! Flying!" Kunou chanted as she swooped through the air, her laughter rising in volume as she zoomed around without a care in the world. To any observer outside of their family, it would have without a doubt been a very unusual scene to behold, two small youkai flying through the air on what seemed to be ratty old brooms.

"Please watch where you're going Kunou-hime," Shirone warned as she urged her broom forward in order to catch up to her reckless friend, "Do you want to repeat last time you crashed into that tree?"

"Mouuu! That's unfair Shirone!" Kunou huffed as she sharply banked, coming to a hovering stop, "That was one time! One time!"

"Your broom had been halfway embedded into the tree," the white nekoshou shot back, her eyes staring pointedly at the Youkai princess, "Harry-oniisama specifically downgraded your broom because of that."

"And it's so unfair!" Kunou lamented with a frustrated pout as she did another loop-de-loop in the air, "It was just one time! I can be responsible!" Shirone didn't bother replying to that statement, opting instead to follow along with the somewhat spoiled princess. Seriously, Harry never was good at saying no to her.

"Ne! Shirone-chan! Let's have a race," Kunou suddenly suggested, pulling up to the leisurely flying nekomata, her expression mischievous. Shirone's response was a rather blank face, mainly because she knew that Kunou was attempting to satisfy her seemingly endless need for adrenaline.

"No."

"Please Shirone-chan! It'll be fun! I'll even let you start first," Kunou teased, circling around the nekomata with a wide grin.

"No."

"Please!"

"Absolutely not."

"Plllleeeaseeeee?"

"No Kunou-hime."

"I'll give you my desert for a week if you win!"

Shirone froze, the "no" just on the tip of her tongue, but her traitorous gluttony for sweets sang the devil's words into her ears. A whole week. One whole week of extra desert. She blanched, wiping her mouth in embarrassment as drool had begun to drip from her mouth. How ridiculous. It wasn't like she was addicted to sweet things or anything.

"Harry's supposed to be making cookies this week," Kunou replied in a singsong voice, knowing the white cat just couldn't resist treats made by the masterful hand of Harry. This was her victory.

"All week?" Shirone asked, trying her best to keep the excitement out of her voice, but she knew that Kunou had her number. She tried to feign indifference but just the thought of those delicious, mouth-watering, perfect…

"I'll even add in one piece of any dinner of your choice," Kunou added smugly, knowing she had pretty much won the race she so desired.

"And if you win?" Shirone all but demanded, already dreaming about the delicious meal pieces she could poach, a bit more drool leaking from one corner of her mouth. Suddenly, she shook herself to attention again, looking away sheepishly, feeling Kunou's amused grin.

"You'll be my maid for a whole week," Kunou replied flippantly, already imagining it, "Costume and all." Then, Shirone would have no choice but to indulge her every whim! It was the perfect plan! The white nekoshou flinched, already feeling the embarrassment, but she would not be swayed from her path of confectionary conquest!

"Very well," The white nekomata replied a hint of steel entering her eyes. She would win. She would not be denied her sweets. "Then I'll be winning now. Whoever reaches the house first, wins." Without another word, Shirone shot forward, ignoring the cry of surprise from her friend, her mind tunneling on her prize. Kunou did say she would have a head start after all.

The landscape blurred together as the broom beneath her picked up speed. Using her superior senses, she weaved expertly between every obstacle in her way, chimneys, trees, buildings and people. Nothing would get between her and her desired quarry.

She could see it up ahead, the house she and her sister had come to call home. Just a few more seconds!

"SHIRONE! I'M GOING TO EAT ALL OF YOUR FOOD TONIGHT!" Kunou's voice roared out behind her, and suddenly, Shirone's mind became a red haze of pure bloodlust. Who dared! Who dared! Any that dared threaten the sanctity that was her dinner would be meet with claws!

Unfortunately, that one moment of clouded bloodlust was all that Kunou needed. Shirone suddenly found herself without a broom, her vision blurring together as the world spun. Her whole body lurched forward as she tumbled through the air. She struggled for just a moment, but her natural senses forced her to tumble in the air to re-orientate herself. With a dust-clouded tumble, she landed on her feet, skidding forward, a growl in her throat as she saw Kunou's broom pass by. Why that dirty cheater! Revenge! Revenge! Revenge! Those cookies would be hers!

Looking up the steps to their home, Shirone began to run, able to hear Kunou's mad laughter overhead.

Meanwhile, Kunou was happily cruising in the air, quite proud of her soon-to-be victory. However, a chill snaked up her spine as she felt an insatiable bloodlust behind her. With a yelp, she saw her friend gaining on her, her eyes crazed and her clothing scuffled.

Wasting no more time, she pushed forward.

"KUUUUUNOU!" Shirone yelled as she lunged forward, intent on smashing into the still-airborne fox princess. Kunou yelped in surprise, unable to react in time, her senses suddenly going haywire as she felt nothing but air beneath her.

Unceremoniously, a few moments later, they both landed with a loud thud, creating a small crater in front of the sliding doors as a whizzing sound overhead signaled the passage of the broom-turned-missile.

A minute or so later, Harry walked out to find the princess and white nekoshou in the middle of a bloody catfight.

Patiently, the wizard waited, absentmindedly dissolving the magically created broomstick that had lodged itself into the house's façade. After repairing the house, both of the young youkai had finally broken apart, out of breath and scratches all over them, glaring at each other.

"What was it this time?" Harry asked, amused and quite exasperated. Yasaka was going to give him an earful later about the house…

"Shirone's a sore loser."

"Kunou's a dirty cheater!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Hmph! You're just mad because I won."

Harry shook his head and sat down, deciding to wait it out. There was no stopping them at this point. Eventually, they would settle down, after some crying, yelling, false insults and apologies. They were best friends after all.

When he finally got the story out of them, he declared it a draw, saying they both lost. Meaning they both had to pay up. Kunou and Shirone had rather mixed emotions about that…

"Shirone-chan," Harry added, after they walked inside, both appropriately admonished for their recklessness, "You remember you can fly by yourself right? You have wings…"

Needless to say, Shirone made them swear to never talk about this event ever again…

* * *

 _Death's Day Off_

"Akiba! Akiba!" Death sung happily as she pranced around in the middle of the train car, her eyes shining as the rumbling of the train signaled their approach. She had been waiting months for this day! Careful negotiations with Fate, Destiny and a whole mess of her other family members had ensured her this one weekend off. She wouldn't have to deal with Destiny complaining that her chosen champion had died in some random universe from Origin knows where, no yelling at Misfortune for giving her more work to do just because it amused her, no pestering from Magic who had a rather unhealthy obsession with how her Master was doing, and absolutely nothing from her stupid cosmic mailman who continually delivered those god-awful love-letters from some murder-obsessed alien…

It was just her and her beloved Master. Death couldn't help but giggle on the spot.

It had been a while since they had spent time together ever since Harry had entered this universe. He had been keeping very busy during his stay. Between helping Yasaka fix the kingdom, training Shirone in some branches of magic suited to her, and dealing with Kuroka, her Master was quite occupied, which was why she was happy to have him all to herself today and hopefully tomorrow.

Plus, she was going to Akiba! The anime central of the world. Death's eyes filled with stars just at the thought! Honestly, if the universe that Harry had found himself in hadn't invented anime, Death would have forced him through another portal without a moment of hesitation.

"Next stop: Akihabara. Next stop: Akihabara," the overhead speakers announced, followed by the conductor's voice in Japanese. Elated, she hopped off the train, noting Harry was right behind her. With a happy sigh and after a brief walk, she took a moment to just enjoy the sight of the entire street being filled with nothing but anime-related things.

"Did we really have to go in these outfits today Death?" Harry asked, a blush on his face as he pointed to her outfit and tugged at his own. He was doing his best to keep a neutral face, but the amount of stares and appreciative looks he and his companion were receiving were getting to him. While he had a lot of experience dealing with a crowd's stare, it didn't mean he had to like it at all, especially when he was dressed like this.

"I don't see the problem, Master," Death announced, quite vocally, emphasizing the last word on purpose. Her giggling multiplied tenfold as she noted the blush on Harry's face grow more intense, "I think you look quite dashing."

"Seriously, what is it with Japan and butlers…." Harry mumbled as he readjusted his collar. He and Death were actually part of a set today. According to her, there was a competition going on for the best cosplay of maids and butler pairings.

Hence why Death was currently parading around in a very fancy, very short and honestly rather provocative maid outfit. Just looking at her too long made Harry blush madly.

"Shall we go, Master?" Death asked coyly as she took Harry's hand, her eyes full of mischief, "But if we're late, maybe you can punish me instead." Harry immediately grabbed her hand and made a run for it, knowing his partner was doing everything in her power to embarrass him. Dutifully, he ignored all of the whispers that followed in their wake.

He did not want to go back and see the perverted thoughts of those random strangers in the slightest….

Death just continued to laugh in amusement. Honestly, Harry didn't know how he did it sometimes. His partner just seemed to flip a switch when they were alone. In the presence of the others, she was a bit reserved and cold, but not uncaring. She had trouble expressing herself to the others, he supposed. He hoped one day she could be as forthcoming with others as she was with him.

Now that they were deeper into Akiba, there were less stares at least, but Harry could still feel a few of them on them both. Meanwhile, Death was also not saying anything, and he looked down to see a small blush on her face.

"You alright Death?" Harry asked quietly, wondering what made her go so quiet.

"I'm…I'm fine!" she said, her voice squeaking a bit. The concept couldn't believe she was feeling this way for something so absolutely minimal. For goodness sake, she had kissed him senseless once before. "Can…can you let go of my hand now? People are staring…"

Harry blinked, looking down, noting that he was indeed still holding Death's hand. It was small, he noted, quite warm and smooth. Without warning, he grinned.

"Hmm…no I don't think I will," Harry said, his voice teasing as he held on tight, finding his partner's blush adorable. Teasing in their…relationship went both ways after all. "It feels quite pleasant." To his immense satisfaction, Death's face immediately began to resemble a tomato.

"So unfair…so unfair…so unfair," Death mumbled as she sunk deeper into herself, her feelings betraying her. She couldn't help it! She was a maiden in love!

"You started it," Harry replied easily, his smile easygoing, "Now what was this whole competition about again? What do we have to do with these costumes?" At that, Death couldn't help but let out a small cackle. Revenge was hers! All of her meticulous planning and promises of revenge had culminated to his one glorious moment.

"Oh nothing more than acting out some scenes…. Nothing at all…. but I hope you know how to use whips and handcuffs, Master."

They won first place….and Harry swore to never let Death wear a maid costume ever again.

* * *

 _Ears and Tails_

"Wait, you can turn into an animal!" Kunou exclaimed, her eyes shining with excitement as Harry casually explained one of his more exotic abilities, "Is it like a youkai transformation? Does it give you special powers? Can you make it so you so you have animal ears like me and mama?" Immediately, everyone on the table turned to Harry, their expression's curious and dinner momentarily halted.

"I'm sure Master would be willing to show you after dinner Kunou-chan," Death replied, earning an appreciative nod from Harry who had been a bit overwhelmed by Kunou's eagerness. He also noted the very interested stares from Kuroka, Shirone and Yasaka. Lilith just hissed, not really caring. She was already an animal anyway…

"But I can't wait! What if Harry-san can turn into a bear? Or a dragon? Or a fox!" Kunou declared, her eyes shining as she uttered the last one, imagining Harry with the physical features of her mother. She found the thought to be very pleasing. Then he really could pass off as her Papa!

"Hmm…Now I find myself curious as well," Yasaka agreed, doing her best to not react to what her daughter had stated. However, she couldn't help but find the mental image very satisfying, though her face betrayed none of her inner thoughts.

"Nya so what can you turn into Harry?" Kuroka asked, as her sister's gaze seemed to ask the same question. All motions of finishing dinner were essentially thrown out the window as the four girls honed in on their objective. Sighing, Harry put down his bowl, knowing he would have to finish it up later.

"Well, normally, wizards only have one animagus form," Harry replied, earning a snicker from Death for his admission. Not being normal was a rather sore point for him. "And this is usually because there is one animal that resonates best with the soul and magic of a wizard."

"You always did like to break the norm, Master," Death replied with a grin, still continuing with her dinner.

"I blame Fate," he grumbled, "Long story short, I have two…kind of three really."

"Are you going to tell us or not nya," Kuroka whined, already at the end of her patience. She wanted to see what Harry's secret form was! The old wizard rolled his eyes, opting instead to show rather than tell.

It was a strange sight to behold. One moment there was Harry, the next moment there was a giant, deadly, black panther lounging around on the ground. Its emerald eyes glowed ominously with an unknown power that betrayed what many would have assumed was a normal, deadly panther.

Unfortunately, his friends already knew who it was and two noticeable squeals of excitement erupted from the more enthusiastic members of their little family, Kuroka and Kunou. The fox princess practically leapt to his side, her hands running through his jet-black coat, gushing with excitement.

"You're so pretty Harry-san!" Kunou gushed as she continued to revel in the feeling of Harry's silky smooth fur underneath her fingertips. Harry growled slightly, his head lightly pushing against Kunou, mainly to show his distaste for her choice in adjectives. His panther form was many things, deadly, majestic, awe-inspiring, sleek…not pretty…

"You're just a giant cat after all," Kuroka said with a wide grin, petting him behind the ears without a lick of shame, "Not to say I don't like that nya." Harry-turned-panther rolled his eyes, lightly buffeting his head against Kuroka's chest.

Shirone and Yasaka's reactions were a bit more demure, but they too expressed their mutual like of his animal form, and Harry really couldn't do anything but puff his chest out in pride. He always had been happy with his original animal manifestation, and it had been a while since he had been in this form.

Rumbling lowly, Harry shrugged off Kunou and Kuroka, both of which had continued to fawn over his form. Kuroka was quite taken with it. Once free however, he transformed back.

"So that's my original animagus form," Harry stated, picking up his bowl again, intent on finishing his dinner that Yasaka had so kindly prepared, "The other ones aren't suited to being shown off casually."

"Are you going to show it to us though!?" Kunou exclaimed, her imagination already going wild.

"Maybe another day Kunou-chan," he replied with a smile, ruffling her hair a bit, "A man's got to have a secret or two right?" The fox youkai pouted at that, making Harry promise to show it to her someday.

"Now," Kuroka continued, a manic gleam in her eyes, "Can you do a partial transformation nya?" She wouldn't go to sleep tonight until she made sure Harry could manifest at least the ears on his head. She swore it.

* * *

 _Playing with Portals_

She had finally done it. Months of messing around with the volatile fabric of space had finally lead her to this one grand moment. With a mad cackle, Kuroka swiped the air in front of her, her eyes lighting up with glee.

Just moments before this, she had strategically placed a corresponding anchor point, and now it was going to pay off in spades.

Somewhere else, Harry frowned as he stepped into the shower, feeling the tell-tale surge of magic in the air. Turning around, his eyes widened in comical disbelief as a pulsating circular window to…somewhere opened up on the wall. To his horror and embarrassment, he was met with the grinning and lecherous face of a certain black cat who waved lazily, her claws alight with the tell-tale signs of space-manipulation magic. He followed her gaze, tracing it slowly to…

"KUROKA!"

* * *

 _What Makes a Parent_

"Stupid Lilith," Kunou grumbled underneath her breath as she glared at the offending nekomata sitting across the room, giggling as she snuggled into Harry's lap. Her eye twitched in annoyance and jealousy as Harry affectionately pet the young nekomata. It wasn't fair! That was supposed to be her spot! Her teeth ground together as Lilith tackled Papa with reckless abandon, her smile stretching as she played with her dad.

It wasn't fair! Kunou had thought Lilith was her friend…

She hated her…

She hated her…

She ha…

"Kunou," the soft voice of her mother said, sitting down next to her obviously upset daughter, placing her hand on Kunou's head, rubbing it comfortingly, "Your hatred bleeds in the air…" Kunou hung her head in shame, knowing it was impossible for her to lie to her.

Yasaka was a strong youkai, able to utilize the most basic of skills that were available to all of their species, senjutsu, to the highest of levels. She could without a doubt sense the darkness stewing in her young daughter's heart.

"I…I…apologize mother," Kunou said, her voice dry and hoarse as she attempted to reign in her heart. It was one of her most basic lessons, the control of emotion, the denial of mindless passion that clouded judgement and twisted minds. It was shameful of her to show such thoughts.

"It's not wrong to be upset Kunou," Yasaka replied, knowing the trail of thought her daughter had followed, "It is not wrong to hate, to fear, to feel jealousy and rage…"

"But…"

"It is how you confront those emotions that showcase true strength and control," Yasaka said, knowing her daughter was paying attention, "Emotions are not weakness. It is the fate of all living things to feel, and those that do not are nothing more than monsters and broken husks."

Kunou paused, swallowing her mother's words. Despite the wisdom behind them, it did little to help her current pains. The fox princess, like all youkai, was proud, proud of her status, proud of her family, proud of her own accomplishments…

"Some may say that asking for help is a show of weakness…but there is wisdom to be found when pride is cast aside Kunou," Yasaka said, still patting her daughter who she knew was struggling with her own feelings. The fox princess froze. She didn't want to admit to it…

"Harry-san loves you Kunou," Yasaka said softly, her own eyes soft, "You may not be of his flesh and blood, but a family is more than your origins of birth. You are precious to him, and I daresay, he sees you as his own daughter…."

"He has Lilith-chan," the young fox said bitterly and stubbornly, feeling her ire cool against her will.

"So? To a true parent, one child does not replace the other. A parent's love is not so shallow Kunou," the elder fox explained, "All you need to do is reach out."

Having nothing more to say, the Kyoto ruler stood up, lightly pushing her child to her feet, a smile of encouragement reassuring Kunou. Without another word, the elder fox walked away to watch. Yasaka had her own set of emotions to confront as well.

Timidly, Kunou stepped forward, her eyes watching as Lilith and Harry wrestled around, grins on their faces. Despite her misgivings, Kunou found it to be very cute. She remembered playing with her mother like that when she was young as well…

"Oh, Kunou-chan," Harry said as he noticed her approach, ignoring Lilith's lunge at his back, rolling his eyes as his young daughter tried to prove her dominance biting into his clothed shoulder. "Did you need something?"

"I…you…I mean…" Kunou stammered, her mind suddenly drawing a blank. She knew she wanted to ask something, but how do you go about something like that. It wasn't just like she could ask!

"Are you okay Kunou-chan?" the wizard asked, concerned. It was rare for Kunou to act so reserved and shy.

"CanicallyoupapabecauseireallywanttocallyoupapaandIwasupsetbecauseithoughtyoudidn'tlovemeanymoreandiloveyoualotharrysanlikeyouremypapaand…" she blurted out all at once.

"Uh…can you run that one by me again Kunou-chan," Harry said blankly. Kunou pouted at that, puffing out her cheeks in embarrassment.

"Mouuu that's it!" Kunou said, launching herself at Harry who caught her with a slight grunt, not expecting the tackle, "You're going to be my Papa! That's it. I won't take no for an answer! You're nice and you take care of me and you're really fun, but you teach me things and make sure I know what's right and wrong….and…and…"

"I don't want you to forget about me," she said quietly, burying her face into Harry's chest, feeling a slight wetness suddenly. Carefully, he wrapped his arms around the shaking child. He frowned, wondering what had brought this on.

"Papa! Were you mean to Kunou-oneechan?" Lilith asked her eyes thinning to slits. Harry blanched, feeling as if he were staring back into the eyes of Lilith the snake, and he paused, remembering Lilith's main job was to watch over the children in their stead. No doubt some of that love was still there.

"Of course not," Harry said, doing his best to appear as innocent as possible, but the young cat wasn't buying it. With surprising strength, the little cat yanked Kunou out of his arms and threw her arms around her waist, sticking her tongue out at her father.

"Don't worry Kunou-oneechan. Papa is a dummy," the little cat said resolutely. Kunou stared at the little cat and then couldn't help but start laughing out loud. Trying her tears, she hugged the little cat back, feeling much better now.

"Papa is pretty dumb isn't he?" Kunou said with a wide grin, and Harry made motions as if he were being struck in the heart, but his smile gave it all away.

"I love you girls too," he said with a sarcastic grunt, "But I guess if you don't love me, I won't be making dango today."

"No!" they both cried out, launching themselves at him their eyes wide, and the old wizard smiled in success. "We didn't mean it Papa!"

"Well I guess if my two silly daughters ask so nicely…" Harry said with an innocent smile, getting up, not missing the look of euphoria on the fox's face. Seriously, sometimes Kunou was such a handful... "How about you two run off to the kitchen and set up the stuff. I'm sure Kunou-chan knows enough to show you the first steps."

"You can count on me Papa!" Kunou exclaimed, jumping to her feet, "Come on Lili-chan! Let's go!"

Neither of the two children noticed the surprised look on Harry's face. Lili…Lily. How nostalgic…

"For someone who has no experience being a parent, you do a remarkable job Harry-san," a soft voice said as a pair of arms wrapped around him from behind. He hummed, looking up.

"You know this reminds me a lot of when we first met Yasaka-san," he noted, tracing the lines of the fox youkai's face, "And I do my best. It helps that they make it rather easy…most of the time."

"I never did thank you for acting in for Kunou's father did I?" she questioned, looking down into Harry's eyes, "I don't think I'll ever be able to express just how much that means to me Harry…"

"You don't owe me anything Yasaka," he replied firmly, "You gave us a place to stay…a place to be happy."

"Hmph…you really should think about your happiness more often Harry," she said with some mirth, but her eyes were soft, a tenderness there that Harry didn't quite know how to place… He suspected, but didn't think about…

Anything…as a soft pair of lips locked onto his own. First there was shock, then nothing as they immersed themselves in each other. For a few moments, it was just him and this remarkable woman he had come to know.

Then they broke away. Harry was freaking out a little though after he realized what he had done. Kuroka would…

"It was Kuroka's idea by the way," Yasaka said, her cheeks pink. She had never done something so…adventurous, "We…we have a lot to talk about later Harry. But…story short. I hope one day that you will… officially be Kunou's father." Her entire face was flaming red at this point, as it was not like her to so boldly claim something like that, but it was refreshing and freeing in some sense. She did enjoy the blush that crossed Harry's face.

"Now…I believe you have two daughters who are waiting for you in the kitchen yes?" the Kyoto ruler said with a wide smile, "It wouldn't do for their Papa to keep them waiting."

* * *

 _A Bigger Bed_

Warily, Harry wondered what obscure cosmic deity he had offended to warrant the sheer magnitude of mortification he was facing now. It had only been three days since Lilith had been reborn as his daughter, and in those three days, more proverbial bombs had been dropped in that time, paling anything in his last one hundred years.

Kuroka was in love with him, and Harry had discovered that he actually reciprocated those feelings, something he thought he had last centuries ago.

Yasaka was in love with Kuroka…and him, somehow coming to a silent and understood compromise with the black cat that sharing was an optimal solution.

Ophis was determined that he was her property and future mate, and shameless declared that their next child was going to be purely from them.

Death had then demanded that if he was going to enter a romantic polygon of who knows what size, she was going to be a founding member. Promptly, she jumped him an hour later…

Now, all four of them were arguing, rather loudly and passionately in the middle of a furniture store in the middle of broad daylight.

"Absolutely not!" Yasaka stated firmly, "We are not getting an enchanted airbed meant to emulate a cloud. I will not sleep in a bed that feels like a taco ready to sandwich you at any moment. Beds require proper support."

"And I suppose your idea of a hand-filled luxury bed of hand-plucked geese-youkai feathers is a better idea?" Death retorted, "Do you have any idea how magically-conductive something like that is?"

"I liked the temperature-adjusting one nya," Kuroka added cheerfully, "Plus it was really soft and squishy nya."

"There, will be five of us," Ophis countered, "I doubt temperature will be a problem…"

"I thought we agreed on two beds," Yasaka said with a frown, "I'm not quite comfortable with…well sleeping with everyone."

"Nyahaha, well Phis-chan does have a point. I'm sure eventually we'll all be in the same bed," Kuroka replied shamelessly, her expression no doubt imagining it. She was sure it would be all sorts of fun.

"What do you think, Harry?" all four of them asked at once.

Harry weakly smiled, dutifully ignoring the fact that the entire store had paused to listen into their little family affair. If they were normal whispers of disgust and bewilderment, he wouldn't have minded as much. To his everlasting shame and mental trauma, this was the Kyoto Youkai Territory.

"Mou, do you think they have room for one more? I want to play with Harry-sama too!"

"How manly! How beastly! How absolutely amazing! Naturally, Yasaka-sama's chosen mate would showcase such bedroom prowess!"

"Four women at once, truly Harry-sama's abilities know no bounds."

"Teach me your ways Harry-sama!"

Every second that passed, Harry could feel another one of his sanity points disappear as the youkai around them, women and men, commented on their situation with something akin to religious fervor. He hid his hands in embarrassment and shame. There were kids here dammit! How was he going to ever look any of them in the face ever again?

"So what color for the sheets, Harry-nya?" Kuroka continued blithely, her beaming smile doing little to assuage Harry's mounting dread and steadily declining mental state.

"Let's just hurry up and buy a mattress already," Death butt in, a little impatient as they had been discussing the merits of proper mattress make for quite some time now, "We can worry about bedding later. Right now, I need to go to the lingerie shop." The other three females suddenly hummed in agreement as Harry slid down to the floor in despair, the clamor of the youkai around them increasing in lewdness and amusement.

Truly, shopping was a formidable trial indeed…

* * *

 _Turn in Your Koseki!_

Takahashi Ken was a simple man, by supernatural standards anyway. He worked in the department that handled family registration sheets, mainly having to help process new couples. It was a rather enjoyable job. If there was one thing he enjoyed about this desk job, it was watching the happy expressions of the many unknown faces he met as they turned in their paperwork that signaled them as married.

He remembered that day himself, chuckling a bit at the thought of his wife, a strong willed bear youkai. Their union had been a bit unusual, with him being a rabbit youkai, but it was a happy and profitable marriage. Living in the Kyoto Youkai Nation had its benefits for sure.

Suddenly, he was brought out of his memories by the unmistakable sound of one voice that everyone in the nation knew.

"Calm down Kuroka," Yasaka reprimanded lightly, "We all already agreed that you got the first stamp, but must you be so flippant about it?"

"I can't help it nya! I'm so happy!" Kuroka, a well-known nekoshou that was seen as a constant companion to their ruler, cried out, "Today's the day! Two years! I had to wait two more years nya!" Takahashi straightened his back and fixed his ears as he felt them approaching, slightly nervous.

"Hmph," Dee, the other mysterious woman that everyone in the kingdom had heard whispers about, replied, her face somewhat unsatisfied, "Why must I be third? I've known Harry longer than anyone here. I've been with Master longer…"

"Yet, still required the seduction of another woman," a fourth unknown voice said with some mirth, "It's a shame Harry seems to enjoy buxom bodies…I'm glad for my shapeshifting abilities."

"That's not true! My body is fine!" Dee cried out in outrage, "Master enjoys my body just fine thank you!"

"Really girls? You're making a scene," Harry Potter said with an exasperated sigh, "Besides I love you all in your own way. You don't have to argue about it, and order doesn't matter…"

"Hehehe, only if you're first," Kuroka replied with a wide grin.

"Kuroka," Harry said in warning, causing her to relent and hold her hands up in surrender.

Eventually, they made their way over to Takahashi's booth, all of them squeezing into the smaller screen. He was rather humbled to be in the presence of their esteemed ruler and Harry Potter. Not to mention the other three ladies felt much more powerful than him by many leagues. They had done much for the kingdom in the last few years and were well respected.

"Good Afternoon Takahashi-san," Yasaka greeted warmly, causing mentioned rabbit youkai to freeze up slightly. It wasn't every day you were addressed by the ruler of your nation after all…

"G..Good Afternoon Yasaka-sama," he responded somewhat stiffly but carefully polite, "What can I do for you today?"

"We'd like to turn in a family registration form," she replied serenely, fishing the form from her kimono. She passed it across the booth, and waited patiently.

Takahashi peered down at the form with scrutiny. It was his job to ensure everything was correctly filled out after all. Plus, this was for the Queen herself. He would not mess this up. Carefully, he reviewed the information, double checking the listed family. It seemed to be all in order, and a small smile flitted across his face at the thought of their young Princess gaining Potter-san as a proper father.

He blanched though at the section that listed spouses. As he began to read, his eyes seemed to grow and grow with awe and disbelief. Simply put, in order, it listed Kuroka, Yasaka, Dee "Death" and Ophis…

Ophis!?

Takahashi almost fainted right there as the small girl looked at him and grinned, one fang poking out of her mouth.

"Is there a problem Takahashi-san?" Yasaka questioned kindly.

"N...no…but is she really…" he stuttered out, knowing that one wrong move could potentially wipe him off the face of the planet. All five of them nodded in unison, and he felt more blood leave his face.

"I'd highly recommend keeping that a strict secret Takahashi-san, but other than that. Are there any other problems?" Harry asked kindly and patiently, and looking over it, Takahashi shook his head numbly. "Then are we free to go?"

"Ah…yes. Have a pleasant evening," he said somewhat mechanically as he stamped the paperwork as approved.

That day, four new Potters walked out of the building.

* * *

So that's most of it for the omake! Hopefully you all enjoyed these little drabbles! Like I said last time we'll be getting into the main parts of the DxD storyline soon.

Thank you to everyone that's followed, faved and reviewed! I know I'm sort of slow with my updates, but I hope you enjoy this double update!

Until next time everyone!

-Woona the Cat


	8. Ch6: Broken Whispers

Disclaimer: I own no rights to Harry Potter or High School DxD.

"Speaking"

" _Parsel"_

'Thoughts'

* * *

Chapter 6: Broken Whispers

The college side of Kuoh Academy was new, relatively anyway, in college terms. Timewise, it had opened around the same time the high school had been established, but despite the stellar reputation of the high school portion of the school, Kuoh University had yet to really receive any significant accolades to cement them into the scholarly community. Competition at the collegiate level was rough.

That wasn't to say it was bad by any stretch of the imagination. Truly, many of its teachers were gifted and stellar individuals who were well versed in their chosen fields, but that alone was not enough to change the fact that they had little to attribute to their name in comparison to schools such as Tokyo University whose pedigree was undeniable and very well established.

However, despite this, those that attended classes at the college loved the school. In just a few years, there would even be some students that could boast that they had attended Kuoh Academy all of their schooling life, from primary to college. In many ways, it was a home.

Valerie Tepes walked on slowly, taking in every feature of the mostly bare but pristine walls. Every now and then, she would pause to read one or two posted notices, most of which were recruitment posters, volunteer offerings, events, and recent news. She loved this place, perhaps more than any of the students. It was a stark difference from the gloomy halls of her origins. Despite the almost barren nature of the walls around her, there was a warmth that emanated from the walls that Valerie did her best to enjoy.

Yet, despite this, anyone who came upon her would find no joy in her gaze, no hidden cheer upon her lips… just a blank face that stared endlessly. Her posture was of the same vein, perfectly emotionless, stiff and unnatural.

The 21-year-old woman was a mysterious person. No one knew much about her, other than the fact that the interactions with her peers were…different. Those that approached her were not met with rebukes, insults or smart remarks, but neither were there words of sweetness that one might associate with a woman. In fact, no one had ever seen her angry or sad or happy or smiling or anything…

Those that had talked to her could only describe her as…lacking…missing some essential piece...or maybe just disconnected from everyone in an unfathomable way. Some had guessed correctly about a past trauma haunting her, but none, save for her family, knew of the true depth of it.

It was a shame really. Valerie was considered enchantingly beautiful, almost without peer at the college. Those that came close had likely spent hours cultivating their looks and stature to match her. Despite this, her exotic and mysterious nature still won out with no effort on her part. Many boys had tried to court her in the hopes of capturing such an enchanting beauty, but so far, none had made it far.

The truth was that Valerie Tepes wasn't human, at least fully. She had been born a dhampir, a half vampire, her vampiric blood coming from her late father, the lord of her clan. Because she had been born half-human, the Tepes clan had shunned and hated her, especially since she was also a girl. The power structure of the vampire clan had always been biased toward the male gender, and it had done little to assuage her difficult childhood filled with petty jealousy, racism and loneliness.

Despite her status as a female half-vampire, she had displayed extraordinary power, more than enough to rival even the more ancient members of the clan. Additionally, she had been discovered to be a daywalker, cementing her importance in the clan, despite her birth and gender. Anyone of vampiric blood that had the ability to walk in the day was treasured to some extent. For Valerie, it elevated her from shameful half-vampire female to useful tool.

Things had only deteriorated upon the discovery of her sacred gear, the legendary Longinus Sephiroth Graal, more famously known as the Holy Grail. Being of the Longinus class, it had the power to even threaten the gods, and after just a short time, her aptitude had evolved the already powerful sacred gear into a subspecies, increasing her infamy in the clan. However, they kept her alive, mainly for her subspecies which had the ability to split into three different grails, allowing for simultaneous miracles to be performed.

The Tepes Clan had taken advantage of it immediately, currying favor with some unknown and powerful devil, giving one third of it to him in exchange for powerful favors. During all of this, the clan made her continue to use it to their ends, caring little for her wishes or the side-effects of using such a dangerous power.

She had tried to fight back, feeling her heart and soul being slowly siphoned off every time she was forced to use the grail, but it was not within her power to resist. There was no one there to help her back then. Despite her power, the clan held a firm grip on her, either through fear or through threats to her mother.

So, for many years she was nothing more than a tool for the clan, used to strengthen their members, granting unparalleled regeneration, removing weaknesses, bringing those on the brink of death back, and a whole other myriad of miraculous deeds.

And every time, a bit of herself was lost, until every emotion, positive and negative, disappeared.

Only by the sudden intervention of the Maou Lucifer was she even awake right now. His actions had destroyed much of her family, and in the process, he had granted her and her only friend, Gasper Vladi, to his younger sister as peerage members. That was the reason she had not fully lost her mind and remained awake.

But, the damage had been done. Marius, her evil and cruel half-brother who had been one of the most vocal in using her power, had been forced to return the other portion stolen from her after being nearly killed, but still a third of her power was missing. The return of one of her grails had not restored anything she had lost and had just provided enough to keep her stable but never whole.

She remained damaged beyond repair…

What was it like to smile and rejoice?

How did the white hot surge of anger feel like?

Were tears of misery as painful as they say?

Envy, admiration, relief, lust, fear, satisfaction, thankfulness, embarrassment…

They were all lost to her almost ten years ago. All she knew of them was in her mind, and while she knew her existence was a pitiful, painful, and cursed existence, her heart did not and would never understand. It was a damned existence.

But, she kept searching, every day, hoping to find a spark, something to save her from the endless void that encapsulated her being…

After all, if there was anything she had learned from grasping the concept of life and death, it was that there were surprises around every corner.

All one had to do was chase it.

* * *

Harry and Kuroka walked together leisurely toward their first university-level class, having come to an agreement with the Director a few days ago to teach one advanced physics class twice a week in the afternoon. Honestly it was more of a pseudo-favor, if anything, to the Director since they weren't going to be considered official teachers of the college. He had offered them a slightly higher pay and increased facility access in recompense though, which had been enough to appease them. It wasn't like they cared much for status or wealth anyway. While they knew the Director was using them to further the prestige of his school, it was a mutually beneficial relationship.

Since they had about a half hour left till class, they decided to look around for a bit, having had little time to explore the college sections of the academy. It was a bit blank, and some sections still smelled of fresh paint and aged wood. However, the air of scholarly intent was there.

"Hmm…Reminds me a bit of when we went to school," Harry said with a grin, taking his wife's hand into his own.

"Oh really? I seem to recall more empty classrooms and less clothing," Kuroka responded with a naughty grin, pleased when Harry's face pinked, "Hehe, I'm glad that I can still make you do that nya." Harry grumbled a bit, but planted an adoring kiss on her cheeks in retaliation.

"I hope you don't have any plans to re-enact said scenes," he replied semi-seriously, sighing as his wife gave him a coy look in response. Restraint and sensibility weren't Kuroka's strong suits, not that he minded that much. It made things interesting.

"You can blame Yasaka-chan," Kuroka replied flippantly with a toothy grin, "She's the one with the public sex fetish nya. I got used to it a bit."

"She'd murder you for saying that out loud," Harry answered with a fond chuckle, knowing all too well of one of his wife's kinkier tendencies, among her other fantasies.

The wizard suddenly stopped though, his senses picking up someone approaching. His brow furrowed as he analyzed them. Their flow of power was strange. It was a chimeric mix of devil, human and…something he had yet to encounter in this world. It was no youkai power. That much was certain. He also frowned as he imagined the touch of Death brushing up against his senses, something that should be impossible.

Kuroka too had detected the slowly approaching unknown, her eyes alert, scanning the seemingly empty hallway. With one look, the couple nodded in agreement, continuing on, wondering what they would find ahead.

The whispers had been soft at first, a gentle feather against her senses. Valerie had no idea what to make of it, but it was alluring, tempting, full of promise. So, she followed, her eyes slightly glazed. Almost as if possessed, she followed, the whispers increasing in volume and intensity. They turned into normal voices and then as she approached closer, transformed into loud thunderous booms that echoed in her soul.

Every part of her was burning. With each step, she felt…heavier…but lighter…aware…but in a dream…

It hurt and then it lulled, over and over again.

What was this painful sensation? It came from nowhere on her body, but something in her chest lurched and cried out as if it were being lovingly stabbed over and over again.

Her steps became staggered, and her breathing intensified to the point where Valerie was afraid her heart would combust. The voices continued to rise in volume, beckoning, urging, pleading…

Release! Release! Release!

Then, she stumbled around the corner and saw him.

In that one moment when their eyes met, every voice was silenced, and with no strength left, she fell to her knees, overcome completely as tears flowed from her eyes, splashing against the polished floor. She froze, staring blankly at the polished tiles.

Tears…

She had not cried in over a decade. Why now? There was this heavy feeling in her chest, yet it also felt light and warm. What was it? What had happened to her!?

Her world spun as she fell once again to the floor in front of the man, barely even registering the woman at his side.

"Miss! Are you alright?" he asked, his voice filled with panicked concern. Those words filled her with a burning, indescribable feeling. She sat up and looked into his eyes once more, tears streaming down her face as a shining smile burst forth from her lips.

Was this…happiness? Valerie was being shown care. It wasn't a new thing at all. Her Master and family loved her very much, but she had never felt this sort of scorching warmth! It was intoxicating and overwhelming to the point where she almost felt like she would forget to breath.

"Kuro stay here! I'll go get a nurse or something," the man said in a panic, beginning to run away.

Valerie's eyes widened in fear as she felt that warmth begin leave her again as void began to take her once more.

"NO!" she screamed, absolutely terrified, "PLEASE! DON'T LEAVE! NOT AGAIN PLEASE!"

Harry froze, a chill settling in his bones. He looked down at the young woman, shocked. The terror in her eyes was too real. She looked almost as if she were on death's very door. Her posture reached out to him desperately as if fearing for her life. Why? What the hell was going on!?

"I'll just be…."

"Please," she begged, clawing at his pants like a starved man in the desert, "Please. Don't leave me…not again."

Valerie couldn't take it anymore. It was all too much for her to bear. With on last plead, the room began to spin as she surrendered to unconsciousness, her body crumpling onto the floor in a boneless heap. Harry and Kuroka had no idea what to think. Carefully, Harry picked up the girl, wincing as her grip latched onto him with a desperate force, tears still flowing in her sleep.

"What now nya?" Kuroka asked softly. The girl's screams from earlier were still ringing in her ears, and the desperation in them still tugged at her heart. It was an unnatural scream.

"This can only mean trouble," Harry muttered in reply as he shifted his weight to support the woman in his arms, "She is without a doubt affiliated with the devils. They will be coming soon." The black cat nodded in agreement. Peerage members were often connected. With one of their own was in turmoil, the King would without a doubt sense it. They were coming.

"Step away from Valerie," a cold voice commanded as the distinct figure of Rias Gremory entered the halls, followed her peerage, Akeno Himejima and Yuuto Kiba. Their expressions were as hard as stone, and hostility poured off in waves. "Heed my words and you may yet live."

Harry couldn't help but snort. While he was sure they meant well, they were a thousand years too early to pressure him.

"Gremory-san, I and my wife will not take kindly to threats," Harry said flatly, "While I'm sure you mean well, assumptions will only lead you to trouble. If you are worried about Valerie-san, I'll tell you her distress was not caused by us."

He really hoped the red-headed devil wasn't as trigger happy as he was in his younger days. Being discovered would be a real hassle for his family.

Harry's hopes were dashed as he felt a small barrier being placed. He sighed and placed Valerie carefully on the floor after gently prying her hands off of his clothes. holding his hands up peacefully.

"Look," Harry said pointedly gesturing to the girl sleeping, "I've done nothing to her. I don't even know what happened, but she just collapsed in the middle of the hallway. I'm not a threat to her or you all."

"We'll see," Rias said with a hard voice, "If it hadn't been one of my own, perhaps I would have been lenient. However, I cannot afford to risk it. But since you asked nicely Harry-sensei... Kiba, don't make it hurt too much." The young man nodded.

In a flash he appeared behind Harry, intent on knocking him out with a quick punch. However, his vision was suddenly filled with a hostile violet as his hand was easily intercepted by none other than Harry's wife. Kiba couldn't believe it, trying to put more force into his attack, but her grip held firm. He tried to pull back, but he couldn't move back in the slightest, feeling as if his hands were stuck inside of a concrete wall.

"Is that all nya," she taunted, her eyes thinning, "I don't like it when someone attacks my Harry nya." With a vicious thrust, she threw Kiba into the wall, causing him to slam against the barrier. Its physical form seemed to shudder at the sheer force of the blow.

"Kiba!" Akeno and Rias yelled, unable to believe their eyes. It was impossible. They had double checked on all the students and employees for signs of the supernatural. Nothing had come up for the two Potters. Yet, they had seen it right before their eyes as Kuro Potter casually batted away Rias' knight without any effort.

With two yells, Rias and Akeno began their attack, three bolts of lightning and the power of Destruction flying towards the two an instant after Kiba went down. Harry groaned in exasperation.

"Dammit Kuroka. Bloody Potter Luck," he grumbled as he stared down the attacks coming his way. Just before they connected with him and Kuroka, he batted them away off to the side, causing a sizable explosion. While those attacks had been moderately good, they were nowhere near powerful enough to do anything to him and Kuroka. It was clear to him that these devils were just inexperienced children, precocious and talented, but definitely inexperienced.

As the smoke cleared, Akeno and Rias were dumbfounded to see their two teachers still standing, not a speck of dust or dirt marring them.

In that moment, Kiba had woken up again, seeing the battle still continuing. With a war cry, he summoned a sword of flame, intent on striking down Harry from behind. However, a sudden flash of green cut his sword into hundreds of pieces, and he gulped as he stared into the cold violet eyes of his teacher, her fingernails having transformed into claws. They glowed with a powerful energy and were poised at his throat. It was clear. One wrong move, and he'd be dead.

"Can we please just talk it out now," Harry said with a groan. This was going south way too fast. Their response was another round of lightning and antimatter. Shaking his head, he decided to end it all before it got even more out of hand.

" _Petrificus Totalus,"_ he intoned and suddenly, Rias and Akeno found themselves unable to move. Their hands snapped to their sides and like a cut tree, fell to the floor with a thud.

"Buchou! Akeno-san!" Kiba cried out, but he knew no more as a red light made his consciousness fade to black. Frowning in distaste, Harry walked over to the two girls and could see the fear in their still-aware eyes.

"Relax," Harry said softly, "I'm not going to hurt you. Kiba-san isn't hurt either, just knocked out. In a few moments, you'll wake up again. I hope you won't be difficult." With another flash of red light, Rias and Akeno knew no more. Grimacing, Harry cast a disillusionment charm on all of the knocked out devils and levitated them behind him. The barrier faded away as its caster was no longer conscious to supply it power, and the world returned to normal.

"What a mess nya," Kuroka sighed, rubbing her temples in frustration.

"I agree…and you went overboard." He fixed her with a stern glare. She chuckled sheepishly, tilting her head innocently as she scratched her cheek.

"Whoops hehe."

"I don't understand how this happened. I'm sure our presence was still concealed. They had no idea when they tried to attack. But, that begs the question as to what happened with Valerie-san," Harry said, "Kuroka, you'll have to do today's lesson on your own probably. I'll escort these four back to that clubroom they always seem to be using. Come when you're finished."

"Got it nya," the black cat answered, "Should I get Shirone too?" Harry nodded reluctantly. As much as he wanted to modify all of their memories, he got the feeling that today's fiasco would happen again. It wasn't worth the trouble, and he never liked the practice to begin with.

As he walked outside, four invisible floating devils tailing him, he groaned. No doubt this mess was going to be one huge headache.

* * *

Valerie awoke with a startled gasp, her head feeling dull and her heart pounding wildly. She rubbed her eyes, frowning in confusion. What was that dream? Had it been a cruel nightmare or an impossible hope? It all felt so clear though…to feel once again…even if only in a dream made her almost break out into sobs.

"Ah…you're awake."

The half-vampire jolted in surprise, nearly falling onto the floor. Her eyes widened though as she regained her bearings.

"Um…Tepes-san right? I hope you're doing better now. You gave me and my wife quite a scare when you collapsed like that," Harry said as Valerie met his face, her expression openly wearing her shock and amazement. "Er…Tepes-san? Are you alright?"

Valerie didn't know what was going on. Her whole body trembled in a mix of fear, confusion, amazement, and wonderment. It was overwhelming! Feelings! Instinctively, she lunged for the man that brought them out of her, caught swiftly by the wrists in mid-air.

"Jeez Harry. She just woke up and she's already jumping you nya," Kuroka said as she entered the room, a cheeky grin on her face. The sudden words brought the half-vampire out of her semi trance, and she jumped back with an embarrassed yelp, falling onto the count with a messy thump.

"Ah! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to impose on your husband. It's just that I've never felt this way, and I don't know what's going on with me. I…I…I…" Valerie said in one huge breath, her composure slipping by the second as her mind caught up with her words.

"Uh…normally that's considered a confession Tepes-san," Kuroka said with a mischievous grin, "Though it usually has the words, 'I like you or I love you' attached."

"No! That's not what I meant! It's…It's just that…" she frantically explained, her arms flailing hysterically as her face flushed bright red. Her mind was swimming as emotions filled her heart, but like a man deprived of food joining a feast, she didn't know how to process them. She didn't know whether or not to cry or run or hide right now! How did people deal with embarrassment?!

Suddenly a body shifted on one of the nearby couches, and just then, Valerie noticed her Master and friends had been lain around on the couches. Her mind suddenly remembered that this place was protected by powerful compulsion magic and other defensive measures that she had not been privy to. Yet, the two Potters were relaxing reclining on the chairs without a care in the world.

Her guard went up immediately, her demonic power rising.

"Easy there Tepes-san," Harry said soothingly, "If we wanted to hurt you and your friends, we could have done so hours ago."

"Onii-chan, the cookies are done," a sudden voice from the clubroom's kitchen yelled excitedly. Valerie blinked, sniffing the air, the aroma of freshly-baked sweets soothing her somewhat. How had she not even noticed the smell? Were emotions so strong that they could block out her natural senses!? She almost began panicking right there!

"Easy," Harry said, a frown on his face as he noted the anxiety attack, wondering what had happened to this young woman, "Take a deep breath. Relax."

Meekly, Valerie nodded, already feeling exhausted. Slowly, she fell back onto the couch, a lost look in her eyes. It had been over a decade since she had begun to lose her emotions to the Grail. It had been her only dream for all that time to regain them, even if only barely.

More than often, her dreams had been plagued by muted nightmares of an empty life, colored a blank and stale gray. The most horrific part of it all though, had been the fact she had been aware of it. Knowing that she should have felt horror, fear, desperation or sadness was just as painful, if not more, than not experiencing it.

"I'm not sure what you're going through Tepes-san," Harry continued as he watched emotion after emotion cycle through the woman's face. Every passing second, a seemingly new or different expression showed themselves on Valerie's face. "But I can tell it is causing you some amount of distress…"

"That…that's a very large understatement sensei," Valerie replied softly as she stared at her fingers, trying to focus. Her hands felt cold, warm, excited, scared…and…

Deep breaths. Deep breaths. Breathe.

Harry frowned as he watched the girl's actions. She seemed lost, like a newborn born into a 21-year-old woman's body. Sometime ago, something had definitely happened to the poor girl, likely a trauma or something magical in origin.

"Onii-chan," Shirone suddenly called as she walked in with a tray of freshly baked cookies, "You were taking too long." The younger nekomata placed the tray on the sitting table and deposited herself on Harry's lap, smirking at Kuroka's pouting face. Looking up expectantly at Harry, the old wizard rolled his eyes and grabbed a cookie, handing it to Shirone.

Valerie watched on in fascination. She had seen many families interact before. Sometimes, when Valerie thoughts turned bad in the past, she would take a walk in the nearby park. She had liked to think watching the children play cheered her up. Maybe their smiles would help her smile too.

It was better than she imagined. As she watched the three interact so freely, a warmth settled in her heart that made her smile brilliantly as small tears leaked from her cheeks. It felt so wonderful! She clutched her chest in painful happiness, hoping to experience more in the future.

The Potters had noticed her actions though, and it puzzled them greatly. None of them had any clue about what was going on with the girl across from them.

"Nyaow if you're going to cry," Kuroka began with worry, "Don't expect us to just sit here you know. We're teachers, so it's our job to take care of students." She walked over to the girl, crouching down to peer into the half-vampire's eyes. "Pretty girls shouldn't cry you know nya."

Valerie didn't know what to do. Could she trust these people? No one, outside of her peerage, the Gremory, and the remnants of her clan knew of her condition. It was a secret deemed important enough to guard by the Maous themselves.

But…the Maous hadn't been able to cure her. Even with their help, she hadn't felt so much as a prick of emotion in ten years. Yet, somehow, this man, whose full name she didn't even know yet, had in a span of a single moment, allowed her to feel once again.

Shaking, she looked up into Harry's concerned eyes, pleading. Could she trust them? Could she trust him?

The warm smile she received was all she needed. She began without prompting.

"My name…is Valerie Tepes. I was born a half-vampire and reincarnated as a rook by Buchou, Rias-san. Over ten years ago, I discovered my Sacred Gear, the Sephiroth Grail…"

Valerie's tale had spun long into the afternoon, the sun already beginning to set by the time she had exhausted herself, the pain of finally retelling her tale hitting her for the first time in a decade. There had been questions, but all of them hadn't been used to pry, only clarify. By the end, Harry's face sported a very upset frown. As always, tales about powerless children being used by adults set him off. He'd had to go to into his meditative occulmency trance in the middle of the tale to ensure he didn't do something stupid like eradicate the rest of Valerie's clan.

Shirone had cried herself to sleep, finding the tale hitting a bit too close to home. Even if her own suffering had ended years ago, it was enough to make her remember one of the worst times in her life, cold and alone in a cell waiting for her death. Kuroka had cradled her gently as she slumbered fitfully, stroking her back in an attempt to calm her.

Harry understood now, Valerie's shock, her confusion, her desperation, her fears. To be striped of one's ability to feel…even the dementors of Azkaban left despair and fear for one to experience. Harry wasn't sure which fate was worse at this point.

The Sephiroth Grail, a mid-tier longinus with the ability to pierce the veil of life and death. It allowed a wielder to perform miracles against nature, but came with a heavy price. Valerie's wielding of the Grail was even more damaging to her as her Sacred Gear had transformed into a subspecies. Three Grails existed instead of one, allowing one to perform three times as many miracles but also suffer three times as fast.

The additional fact that one of the Grails was no longer in her possession was also a problem. Whoever held the grail was likely still using it with a bastardized technique. Any miracles performed by that wayward grail would be weaker but still extract the same price from Valerie every time.

Life and Death, it was knowledge that was forbidden for mortals, and that knowledge had damaged her beyond repair, at least by mortal means.

The Master of Death, the title was as it sounded exactly, dominion over Death which also indirectly gave some measure of control over Life. However, Death did not like to be cheated or stolen from. This Grail likely did just that, steal from the realm of Life and Death to bring about miracles. With enough conceptual power, nearly anything could be changed.

However, since the Grail stole its power, it could never truly belong to it. With the Master of Death so close, the power of Death was returning to him, being extracted from Valerie. The power of Life was likely following the created path of its sister power at a slower pace.

It was a farfetched idea, but there was one way for him to test it. If he was right, curing Valerie was something only he, Death and Life could do.

"Do you know why this happened Harry-sensei?" Valerie begged, wanting to know if it just wasn't an accident, a cruel joke.

"I have my theories yes," Harry replied, "It requires a few secrets of my own to be revealed though."

"I can keep them!" the half-vampire exclaimed, "I'll do anything!"

"There's no need for that," Harry replied firmly before Kuroka could cheekily comment, sending her a look of disapproval. She had the grace to look a bit abashed. "I believe you. But, an oath is something I need to protect my family, a magical one." The dhampir didn't even hesitate, offering her word, life and magic without pause. It was a foolish move, but she was desperate.

She made the oath, unable to tell anyone of his secrets unless allowed to by him. A small blip of magic was all Harry needed to confirm the oath.

"I'll re-introduce myself then," Harry said, "My name is Harry James Potter, the Master of Death." Valerie stared, wondering if she had heard right. Master of Death?

All of her doubts suddenly flew away though when out of nowhere, a woman appeared. Her hair was stark white and her eyes were an otherworldly glow that seemed to hold endless depths. Her skin was a crème pale that highlighted her unnatural beauty. However, the strangest thing was that she was wearing a pink frilly apron, just the apron.

Valerie hadn't ever blushed harder in her entire life.

"Master! Kuroka!" she squeaked, pulling down her tiny apron as far down as she could to cover her modesty, "Wha…wha…wha…wha…"

Kuroka laughed uproariously, savoring the picture and jumping to her lover's side with a purr, teething her neck ever so teasingly, enjoying the way the concept quivered at the motions. She could smell the draconic scent of Ophis hanging about her, and smirked. Death was always so dishonest.

"Ahem," Harry said with a red face, embarrassed by the fact that a stranger was witnessing everything, "As…fetching as you look Death dear. We have a guest. And Shirone is sleeping…" Having mercy on the spluttering concept, Harry conjured up some clothes and used a switching spell to place them on Death whose face was likely going to be red for the rest of the afternoon.

"Aww you're no fun Harry," Kuroka purred, lightly biting Death one more time, her switch flipped half-way already.

"Later," Harry muttered, kissing his overeager wife to appease her for a bit, "Besides, Yasaka's coming tonight. You wouldn't want to exclude her right?"

"Hmm…you're right nya," the Black Nekoshou replied with a perverted grin, "Only if I can do the apron thing with Yasaka though."

"I'm not helping you talk her into that."

"Meanie."

"Um…uhh…" Valerie added intelligently, her brain overloaded by embarrassment and the slight hint of desire niggling at her consciousness. Death suddenly focused on the other aware person in the room, her eyebrows rising as a scowl spread across her face.

"Harry," she demanded, "Who is this and why is it that I can sense some of my essence in her?"

"This, is Valerie Tepes, Death. Valerie-san, this is Death, my other wife and companion of many years."

"Bu…buh…what!" Valerie exclaimed, jumping up in fright as her senses registered the aura emanating the now-clothed woman. It was a little unknown fact that the undead feared Death more than even the living. This was because the undead broke the sacred contract of returning to Death willingly. Being half-undead was enough to make Valerie almost pass out.

"Long story short. She has some Sacred Gear called the Sephiroth Grail that steals from your domain and your sister's. In the past, she was forced to use it over and over again, resulting in…"

"A broken shell-like state," Death finished, understanding. She frowned though, wondering how many other ways there were to encroach on her territory in this world. It was concerning, but something she would have to contemplate later. "I'm assuming when she ran into you…" Harry nodded. "Well let's get this over with then."

Before Valerie could question what was going on, her field of vision was suddenly filled with white. She made a strangled noise of surprise as she suddenly found a pair of lips covering her own. Her eyes flew open in surprise and slight anger, but those feelings were suddenly overshadowed by the fact that she felt _something_ leaving her yet making her feel fuller than ever. Death pulled away with a sigh, wiping away the strand of saliva that still connected the two. She observed the flushed half-vampire for a moment and nodded in satisfaction.

"Wha..wha you…you kissed me! Wha…" Valerie exclaimed, her arms flailing around as her face began reddening even more. Death smirked and dutifully ignored her.

"Did you really have to do it that way?" Harry replied with a sigh. Death shrugged.

"The mouth is the entrance to the soul. Why else do you think a dementor kisses you?" she replied flippantly, "Besides, I'd like to think my kisses are much more pleasant. But if you're jealous master, I can always give you one." Harry chuckled and swooped down to steal his own kiss, enjoying the pink that flitted across his wife's face.

"Mou! Don't forget me nya!" Kuroka exclaimed with a pout to which Harry responsibly answered.

"So," Death began slowly as she sat down and picked up one of the cookies, still warmed by some of Harry's charm work, ignoring the many sleeping students that were placed in the room, "Do you feel any better girl?"

"I…I…do," Valerie replied, looking away from the concept given form, looking at her thighs in hopes of hiding her face. Previously, her emotions had felt too raw and chaotic, but now they had settled down into a more comforting lull, manageable but still potent.

"You're never going to be 100% alright, well not without Life, but I've siphoned off as much of her power as I could as well as all of mine," Death stated, "And of course if you use your Sacred Gear, the stolen power will concentrate again. If that happens, you'll have to come to me or Harry to fix it. It is also more than likely that this isn't a permanent fix. Your entire body is a conduit after so many years now. It'll attract more energy from the Origin no matter what you do."

"Does…does that mean you…you have to k..k…kiss me every time? That I have to…k..kiss…" Valerie asked, a new flare of red popping up on her face. She was still in slight shock that her first kiss had been taken by Death so suddenly. Just thinking about it filled her with numbing fear and embarrassment.

"Well I can do it. Or you can get Harry to do it," Death replied truthfully, ignoring the blustering that ushered forth from the dhampir, "Though…the second option doesn't please me that much." Valerie opened and closed her mouth uselessly, her mind overheating at the suggestion. How scandalous! How shameless! Her whole body shook as all the blood rushed to her face.

However, she caught herself from answering negatively. This was Death, and she had just helped her from the life-long void she had found herself in. She and Harry were her saviors.

Valerie nodded shakily. If that was the price for retaining her emotions and sanity, she would gladly pay it. Having confirmed that Death faded away with one last fond look to her Master and Kuroka.

"Probably doesn't want to keep Ophis waiting much longer," Kuroka replied with a snicker which Harry could not deny. After a moment of silence, the weight of what had just occurred to the female half-vampire finally settled in as joy blossomed in her heart.

"Harry-sensei…words cannot…I don't know how," the blond dhampir struggled, but the wizard kindly shook his head in understanding. He patted her shoulder as he walked over to pick up the still sleeping Shirone.

"Take your time. I'd be happy if you just resolved to live your life fully Valerie-san," Harry answered simply. Valerie nodded vigorously, happy tears gathering in her eyes as she realized that her dream had been realized after so much suffering. "Oh, by the way, when your friends wake up, you're free to tell them I helped you. Please keep how and the names you've heard here a secret though, especially my wives. If you must mention Kuroka, please refer to her as Potter-sensei as everyone does, and give my regards and apologies to your master." With a parting nod to the young woman, the Master of Death walked over to his waiting wife and disappeared in a small pop.

Twenty minutes later, Rias and company would be shocked to find a ridiculously happy Valerie who continued to smile and laugh at anything and everything all afternoon.

* * *

So this is the first forays into the DxD Storyline. As you guys can tell, its already been altered a bit. Much of this is an exploration of Valerie and her character, and how Harry's group cultivates ties with Rias'.

Thank you for reading! And until next time!

-Woona the Cat


	9. Ch7: Resolving Pasts

Disclaimer: I own no rights to Harry Potter or High School DxD.

"Speaking"

" _Parsel"_

'Thoughts'

* * *

Chapter 7 – Resolving Pasts

With a dissatisfied sigh, Harry plopped himself down into the living room armchair, lightly massaging his temples in frustration as he went over the last few hours in his head. With an undignified grunt, he swung his head upwards to stare at the slowly rotating ceiling fan, mentally cursing in his head. Everything, in the span of less than maybe four hours, had changed.

The devils at the school were aware of his presence now, and more importantly, they could easily speculate that his entire family were tied to the supernatural. Given that Kuoh and the surrounding areas were under the jurisdiction of the Gremory's, this meant his family was potentially in danger. Should they discover the true identity of Kuroka and Shirone before they'd had a chance to embolden themselves to them, a fight could and would likely break out.

Additionally, given what he had heard about the Lucifer's tendency to over-react when it came to his younger sister, any battle involving the young Gremory heiress would turn ugly very fast. If Yasaka got involved, it could quickly devolve into a faction war, something Harry had no wish to see.

Luckily, Harry believed that he had already earned a few brownie points with the Gremory heiress and her peerage. He and Kuroka had been successfully teaching them for a while with great success, and his new involvement with the whole ordeal involving Valerie had definitely added to it.

However, that brought him the crux of the entire issue and how it had started, Valerie Tepes. Out of all the possible things that could have outed him to the devils, it would be something as ridiculously obscure as soul magic. Soul magic…the bloody thing was probably the root of all his issues in life, and he once again mentally flipped off his now-relative-in-law, Fate, for constantly screwing with him.

Plans would have to be made to ensure the safety of his family. Harry would have to carefully consider the next few steps. He would not allow anything to happen to anyone in his family.

"At that rate, you're going to worry yourself into an early grave nya," Kuroka said with a soothing purr, settling into the same seat as her mate, curling into his side, "Gremory-san is a good kid. I don't think she'd do anything too crazy nya. Well…I hope…you know what they say about red heads."

"It poses a huge risk. You know, just as well as I do, who her brother is," Harry said, his posture relaxing a little bit as he cuddled with his wife, but the tension still remained underneath, "I refuse to see anything happen to you or Shirone."

"Hehe," the black nekomata hummed happily, feeling her heart swell happily, "I bet you could take on Sirzechs anyway. Dee would kill you if you couldn't at least match him nya."

"I'd rather not start an inter-dimensional conflict thanks," the wizard quipped playfully before his face turned a bit serious, "And…I've been looking for a good opportunity to clear your name. It's a bit counter-productive if I'm fighting the leading Maou…"

Kuroka blinked. Peering up into those glowing emerald eyes, she smiled blissfully. To be completely honest, she had forgotten she was technically a wanted criminal. Having spent so many years in Kyoto had spoiled her somewhat. Still, it a wonderful reminder of just why she had fallen in love with Harry in the first place.

"You're making it awfully hard for me to just stick to cuddling you know," Kuroka purred seductively, nipping Harry's shoulder and sneaking in a kiss. "I have half a mind to skip Yasaka in line…"

"She'd skin you alive if you did it you know," Harry answered with a laugh, pecking her cheek in response.

"Yasaka would let me do it. She just loves me too much nya," she answered with her own cheeky grin.

"Speaking of our lovely wife, shouldn't you be preparing the kitchen for her? She wanted to cook today after all, and you promised to help," he suggested, laughing at the look of horror that passed across the nekomata's face. It was a well-established fact that Kuroka plus kitchen equals disaster.

"Only if you help me nya," Kuroka all but begged. She suppressed a shiver, remembering the last time she had messed up Yasaka's sacred duty of cooking dinner. The blue fire and mad cackles still haunted her nightmares sometimes…

Funnily enough, it had only been elevated to such status because Harry, more often than not, cooked for the family, and the proud kitsune was not about to let her womanly pride be so easily brushed aside! It had evolved into a very fun competition between Harry and Yasaka over the years, each of them trying to out-do the other throughout the week. Shirone was especially fond of the arrangement.

"I suppose it is my duty to help my struggling wife, isn't it?" he joked with a grin, earning a punch to the arm for the quip.

"Naturally nya," Kuroka responded before grabbing his arm and dragging him towards the kitchen.

"Hey, thanks Kuroka," Harry said, his expression soft.

"That's what family is for nya."

* * *

A blip of magic alerted Harry that the rest of his family had arrived, and he smiled as the sound of rushing feet down the stairs told him exactly which child was coming.

"Daddy!" Akane yelled as she ran-hopped down the stairs, tripping up for just a moment before her cat instincts righted her back up. Without a single pause in step, she barreled into her father, nuzzling into Harry's stomach, her tail wiggling happily.

"Akane! I've told you many times to not run down the stairs!" Yasaka fussed as she made her way down, her steps a little bit faster than normal, sighing in relief as she saw she was safely in her husband's arms, "I don't want you to fall."

"But I missed Daddy!" Akane pouted as she continued to nuzzle into her father without a care in the world, her red, cat ears twitching happily as if that was the most valid excuse in the world.

"Akane-chan! No fair! I wanted to greet Otou-san first!" Rin complained as she followed her mother down the stairs, her fox tails waving wildly in displeasure. She marched down the stairs and began yanking at her half-sister's dress, scowling. "You said hi to him first yesterday too!"

Appropriately, Akane's response was to simply stick her tongue out in defiance, returning to hugging her papa without a care in the world.

"You two are ridiculous," Harry said with a laugh, bringing the veritable twins into a big hug and kissing the tops of their heads. Satisfied for now, the two sisters ran off to play, mutually deciding to go bother Shirone for a while.

"I missed you," Harry said as he greeted Yasaka, pulling her into a warm embrace and kissing her, "Where are Lily and Kunou?"

"They'll be coming through soon. Kunou forgot to do some of her homework, so Lilith-chan is helping her…again."

The wizard smiled, shaking his head ruefully. Knowing his foster-daughter's tendencies, she was lucky to have Lily keeping her on the straight and narrow. Though, her increasing dependency was becoming a tad bit ridiculous. Harry was pretty sure she still continued to take baths with Lily more than three times a week…

"Speaking of our kids," Yasaka said, "Have you put any more thought into what I suggested? You know Akane and Rin are at the age where they just want to be around you. They really don't like that they have to wait to see you when they get home." Harry hummed in thought.

"Kuoh Academy does have a program for K-12, but…" he stopped, thinking about this afternoon's fiasco. He didn't want to do anything until he was sure his kids would be one-hundred percent safe.

"But…?" Yasaka probed, sensing the distress in her husband's voice. Having known Harry for so long, she knew the signs to look for when he was worrying about something. It usually meant he had gotten himself into something troublesome.

With a resigned sigh, he explained what had happened earlier, and the nine-tailed fox patiently listened, nodding her head at the appropriate points made. Her face furrowed into a slight frown as she realized the potential dangers her family would be put in.

"So, you can see why I'm reluctant. Until this whole thing is resolved, and I can guarantee our family's safety, they should remain in Kyoto. I know it's not optimal, but I'm not taking the risk. But that's proving to be difficult. I'm not sure how to approach this problem without it boiling down into a battle," Harry expressed, "While I'm sure they are happy one of their own is partially healed, they won't take 'I can't tell you who or what I am' as an appropriate response tomorrow."

"They also won't be comfortable with having a higher power they can't control or understand within their territory," Yasaka said, her inner ruler coming out in her analysis, "Until the devils have the ability to at least bargain on equal ground, they won't be very hospitable."

"That is the problem yeah," Harry sighed, still stumped about how he would manage to keep good standing with the Kuoh devils.

"That being said," the Kyoto Queen continued, her mind scheming, "I do have a few ideas." She would take any opportunity to knock the devils down a peg or two. While she didn't necessarily hate them anymore, considering she had one for a wife and sister-in-law, her grudge was an old one.

Plus, it would be fun to play a little prank on the Lucifer.

* * *

 _The Next Day_

Rias Gremory was feeling extremely stressed out. Just this morning, she had received an urgent message from her brother that Yasaka, widely considered the ruler of the youkai faction, had sent him a missive. That in itself was significant because the elusive fox queen hadn't contacted any of the three factions in many decades now. It was a well-known fact that relations between the devils and the youkai were especially coarse too.

However, the part that was stressing her out the most was the fact that one of her teachers, Harry-sensei's wife to be exact, had been mentioned in the letter and identified to be an important person to the kingdom.

What had started out as a small scuffle had somehow escalated into a full-blown faction-wide problem! And the worst part of it all, was that she was technically at fault…

While the devils could use the fact that there were two unidentified, three if counting Moka-chan, supernaturals in their claimed territory, it was a poor defense considering the circumstances. Additionally, while the devils did technically claim the land, there were likely countless unknown supernaturals living in the area, going about their lives like normal. Japan was originally the land of the Youkai after all.

Therefore, the blame would fall upon her shoulders, and should repercussions occur because of her inability to be patient and her hotheadedness, it would spell disaster for her peerage, family and the entire devil faction.

Sirzechs himself was going to come today to an impromptu meeting between factions, and Rias could only hope it all turned out well. Her entire peerage would be present for the meeting as well, bar one of her bishops who was still having problems controlling his powers.

"Worried?" Akeno asked softly, setting down some tea and cake for her king and future guests.

"Who wouldn't be…" Rias murmured, her hands shaking slightly as she took the tea from the table, awaiting the arrival of her brother anxiously.

The atmosphere in the room was strange. Yuuto was rather grim-faced, his hands tensing as if held around the hilt of his sword. He was still a bit upset about how easily Potter-sensei had defeated him the other day. Akeno looked rather relaxed to the outside viewer, but Rias knew she was worried. Should a fight break out, there would be very little they could do to contribute or protect themselves.

Valerie was honestly the only reason why Rias had the strength to continue. Ever since yesterday, the half-vampire hadn't stopped laughing or smiling, and it was an absolutely wonderful thing. After suffering for almost all of her life, she had the chance to enjoy it once again. Personally, Rias was pretty sure Valerie couldn't wait to see Harry-sensei again.

Her musings would have to be cut short, however, as the imposing seal of Lucifer bathed the room in dark, blood-red light. Out of the seal, two figures slowly rose from the floor.

"Lucifer-sama. Grayfia-sama," everyone in the room greeted formally, bowing respectfully.

"Rias-sama," Grayfia said, her voice as serious as usual, "I trust you are doing well?"

"Yes, thank you Grayfia-nee-san," Rias answered, a slight droop in her shoulders. She could hear the disapproval already. While she could handle her brother's usual stupidity and eccentric attitude, Grayfia had always been a crucial role model for her. It stung to hear the disappointment.

"Oh, don't be so stiff Grayfia-chan!" Sirzechs said, his goofy smile firmly set in place, "How is my favorite baby sister hmm?" Without hesitation, he brought Rias into a bear hug.

"Nii-sama…get…off," Rias said, grinding her teeth a bit as she was being coddled by her brother in front of her friends. It was highly embarrassing and just glancing at the wide smile on her best friend's face was enough to know she would be getting teased about it later.

"Rias-channnn! Don't be mean! I haven't gotten to hug you in almost a week! I'm starved for attention," Sirzechs lamented, practically clinging to his sister, "It's so cruel! Why don't you love me anymore Rias-channn?" The Gremory heiress stared deadpan, refusing to answer.

"This is why you're not married yet Nii-sama," she answered coldly, smirking as her brother seemed to seize up, like an arrow had been shot straight through his heart.

"I agree," Grayfia added, a small smirk tugging on the edges of her lips as her king collapsed, all life seemingly devoid on his face.

"Anyway, what can you tell us about this meeting Nii-sama?" Rias asked, trying to get the situation on track. Sirzechs peered up with one eye and sighed, standing up with the actual dignity that his position required of him. There was a time to be Sirzechs Gremory and a time to be Lucifer.

"There is not much to really be said. As I'm sure you know, the Kyoto Youkai Faction has not been heard from in almost a decade already. Previously, before that, they were still very reluctant to communicate, but we were still able to gain information. Every single spy, devil, angel, fallen and in-between, has failed to glean any information from the youkai kingdom," Sirzechs said, "Which is why it came as a massive surprise to hear from Yasaka-sama of all people yesterday out of the blue."

"Wait…you mean to say that no-one has any information about the Youkai faction that isn't almost a decade old now?" Yuuto asked, his eyes widening in disbelief. Sirzechs nodded his head.

"The barrier that normally protects the Kyoto youkai changed about eight years ago. Back then it was just a very powerful protective barrier with some basic concealment spells. Whatever it is now though… it universally denies anyone that seems to not be invited in or has…lesser than benign intentions. Even Ajuka can't figure out how the barrier works," he said, his face grim, "Serafell had half a mind to jump in on this meeting, seeing as it is her area of work, but the missive requested me specifically."

"What is Yasaka-sama like?" Akeno asked, curious. She had never really heard anything about the illustrious ruler of the youkai.

"Now? It could be anyone's guess. Back then, she was rather cold and calculating. She was lauded as one of the most powerful figures on Earth though, able to easily beat almost anyone from the seat of her power in Kyoto by drawing upon her divine ancestry through Amaterasu. People that I have talked to remember her as exactly how a ruler would expect to act, prudent, dignified, beautiful, and cunning. I, personally, only met with her twice."

"They are here," Grayfia said suddenly as three precise knocks echoed throughout the club-room. The protections surrounding the old clubhouse were dangerously strained as the collective power in the area rose dramatically.

With a graceful purpose, the Gremory maid strode to the door, taking a calming breath as she reached for the door knob. She prayed her king would not do something foolish in this meeting and opened the door.

"Hmm…I suppose we have not arrived early then if the Strongest Queen herself is here to answer the doorbell," Yasaka answered blithely, her tails swishing behind her as she nodded to the maid. She was dressed in one of her finest kimonos and carried a traditional paper umbrella decorated with the images of flying foxes. Behind her were, who Grayfia assumed, were Harry and Kuro Potter. Like their leader, they too were dressed in fine kimonos that echoed the traditional culture of the land. Already, the impression that Grayfia had of the Youkai delegation and their queen went up.

"Welcome," the silver-haired maid greeted, bowing in respect, "Lucifer-sama has been expecting you."

"I hope not too long?" the kyuubi asked, collapsing her umbrella and handing it to Harry who took it with a smile. "Well then, shall we?" Nodding, the trio passed through the threshold of the building. Grayfia dutifully followed them until they were ready to continue to the meeting.

A few minutes later, they entered the main room where all of the devils were seated on three separate couches, leaving one for the Youkai party. It was a clever setup that would make it seem like Yasaka had the lower bargaining hand.

It seemed hospital enough though. There was tea and cake prepared, and the fact that Sirzechs' trusted them enough to be in the presence of his sister spoke volumes.

"Yasaka-san," Sirzechs said while he stood up to greet the three, "It has been a long time. I believe the two next to you are the Potters yes? Welcome. I hope today's meeting will be beneficial for all of us."

"Likewise, Lucifer-san," the golden kyuubi answered with her own small bow as they all sat down, "I trust you have been informed of the situation?"

"Mostly yes. However, I find myself curious as to why you deem this meeting necessary."

"That will have to wait until later. First, Tepes-san was it?" Yasaka asked suddenly, turning her attention to the somewhat subdued half-vampire who had been staring at her husband the entire time, transfixed.

"Y…yes?" Valerie answered, nervousness leaking through her voice. It had been a long time since she had felt this emotion, and she was handling it rather poorly.

"How is your condition?" she asked.

"I'm…I'm doing very well. I haven't felt so wonderful in many years, and I owe Harry-sensei a great debt. I hope one day to repay it…" Valerie answered sincerely, looking at Harry directly with a beatific smile.

Clever…Sirzechs thought. In seconds, all of the momentum had been dramatically shifted in Yasaka's favor with such a simple question. Since Valerie acknowledged a debt owed to Harry, by extension Rias and by that extension, the Gremory family owed a debt to Harry.

"Perhaps that time is sooner than you think Tepes-san," Yasaka said with a veiled grin, "Now then, onto business. I'm sure you are aware that yesterday, Harry and his wife were exposed as supernatural members."

"Naturally," Sirzechs answered, "And we have come to the rapid conclusion that they belong to the Youkai faction. It is a bit concerning to have two powerful unknowns in my sister's territory though."

"Last I checked Lucifer," Yasaka continued, "They were simply going about their daily lives. Nothing has happened ever since they came to Kuoh, and only when your sister confronted them did an incident occur." Sirzechs did have to concede that point. From what his sister had told him, neither of her teachers had gone looking for a fight.

"But I do not believe you call for meetings with the head of every faction for every incident involving Youkai outside the kingdom, do you?" the Crimson Satan countered, his eyes narrowing, "What is your true purpose today?" For a moment, Yasaka and Sirzechs stared at each other, both trying to feel out the general flow of the conversation.

"I suppose the answer is more simply shown and said if anything."

"By all means."

Subtly, Yasaka nodded to Harry who stood up with his wife.

"Before I allow them to do this, I must have your word that no harm is to come to me or mine in this room," Yasaka said seriously to Sirzechs, "I also doubt that combat would be beneficial to your family's well-being." Sirzechs' eyes flashed a dark red at the subtle threat to his sister, but held his temper in. He was here to ensure her safety after all.

"I swear it on my name and pride."

Yasaka nodded, giving the signal to Harry. With a small pulse of magic, the disguises laced with confundus magic were stripped away from Harry and Kuroka's faces, revealing their true visages. Immediately, Grayfia tensed, recognizing their faces easily, however, she had to stay her hand.

"Interesting," Sirzechs said with a small, dark chuckle, "It all makes sense now. The Swan Lake Incident."

Rias and the other devils knew immediately what their Maou was referring to. It was one of the most popular and controversial topics in the Underworld after all, even after so many years.

"I suppose I have to re-introduce myself and my wife," Harry said with a smile, his newly revealed emerald eyes shining in amusement, "I am indeed Harry Potter, but my wife's true name is Kuroka Potter. You may know her better as Kuroka the Nekomata."

The room was silent for a moment as everyone took in the new information. Rias shook a little bit as she actually realized the kind of opponent she had pitted her peerage against yesterday. If Potter-sensei had wanted to, she could have likely killed all of them without a second thought.

"It is nice to meet the infamous Conductor face-to-face," Sirzechs said coolly, quickly understanding what the meeting was about.

"Is that what they call me down there?" Harry asked, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment.

"Your tale is a popular children's story nowadays. I believe there's a movie also in production," the Lucifer answered with a chuckle.

"We should go see that sometime nya," Kuroka said with a giggle.

"It is being directed by one of the most famous directors of the Underworld," Sirzechs added conversationally. Turning to Yasaka, he stalled for a moment, finding the most unusual smile stretching across her face. It was rumored that Yasaka had never been seen smiling or laughing. Clearly, it was a lie now, but the fact that it was caused by Harry and Kuroka was all the more telling.

"So, you have come here today to ask for official pardons for Kuroka-san and Harry-san," the Maou said, folding his arms in thought.

"My sister Shirone is also part of the deal nya," Kuroka added fiercely. She would not allow anything less.

"I hardly see how that is fair," Sirzechs said, his eyes calculating, "At best, I can pardon one. A life for a life as it were. You have saved, or rather restored Valerie-san's life, but that is all the debt is. One life."

"Hmm…last I checked, that is all Yasaka really needs," Harry answered with a grin, "After all, you know as well as I do that Kuroka and Shirone are innocent. All Yasaka wants is a pardon for me actually. I'm the only one who did anything criminal."

"Kuroka killed her former master," Sirzechs argued, knowing truthfully that what Harry said was correct. However, he was a devil. He wasn't going to just give something away.

"Out of self-defense of another. Last I checked, that wasn't against the law now was it?" he answered sharply. "It is your duty to correct the flaw in the system as the one overseeing domestic affairs, isn't it?" Sirzechs stared at the brave and slightly foolish human. Then he started laughing in earnest, completely amused.

"You're by far the most interesting human I have ever met I must say," the Lucifer responded with a grin, "I've never met a human who would so blatantly attempt to outwit me." His chuckles dying down, he stared at the man across from him, challenge in his eyes. "You would be correct. However, to push though the official statement that Kuroka, a classified SS-stray devil, and Shirone, a B-class stray devil, requires significant resources. There are many forces that still search for their deaths as a show of force that the devil faction retains its strength." Devils were notorious for their grudges after all. Vengeance was a common motivator in devil politics.

"Politics truly is a bane on any species, isn't it?" Harry responded wisely, earning a nod from the sighing super-devil.

"At best, I can push through the pardon of Shirone and Kuroka. That is the most I am willing to negotiate for the settlement of the Gremory debt owed," Sirzechs said, earning a frown from Kuroka and Yasaka who were not pleased. Yasaka was about to say something else in response when Harry's voice cut her off.

"How about a wager then Lucifer-san?" Harry said, a mischievous smile spelling out for Yasaka that her husband was about to do something completely ridiculous, and she would have to absolutely berate him for it later.

"Oh? Do tell," Sirzechs replied, his own grin matching Harry's. He was really enjoying this. Eight years ago he had hoped to talk to the elusive man who had set the Underworld on a frenzied path, and it was just as interesting as he had hoped.

"I will battle any representative of your choosing. First to yield or unable to continue is declared the winner. Should I win, you pardon me as well. Should I lose, I will pledge myself to your service for five years," Harry said seriously.

"And what value does your service mean against your freedom?"

"I'm sure that you are aware of the barrier that now surrounds the Youkai territory?" the wizard said, noticing the nearly imperceptible widening of Sirzechs' eyes, "I'm sure there are many things you could do with my services." Sirzechs hummed, taking his time, despite the fact that his decision was already made. It just wouldn't do to seem too eager though.

"Your offer is intriguing, and I find myself happily taking it," he answered with a crazy grin of his own. Suddenly the room lit up with magic as the pact was made. "When do you wish to battle my representative?"

"Today would be preferable," Harry answered with a lazy grin, "My daughters really don't like it when I get home too later after all. Tomorrow is a school day too, so maybe before dinner would be excellent. Any place of your choosing is fine too."

"Wonderful. Then, you shall be fighting Grayfia, my queen, in the Coliseum you once destroyed…say maybe…an hour from now is fine?" Sirzechs answered. "You don't mind right Grayfia?"

"Not at all Lucifer-sama," Grayfia replied, her piercing gray eyes settling on Harry's face, "It would be my pleasure to teach this criminal his place."

"Ouch. That one hurt. Who knew being insulted by a beautiful woman would feel so bad?" Harry fake winced, but continued smiling, "I look forward to our match Lucifurge-san." Grayfia looked back, and couldn't help but allow a small smile of her own match Harry's.

"Likewise, Potter-san…"

* * *

"Have I mentioned to you that you're a complete idiot sometimes, honey?" Yasaka said in an overly sweet voice as she, Kuroka and Harry were walking back to the old schoolhouse in order to teleport to the Underworld. Her tails swished around in angry worry as she mentally reviewed how she believed the upcoming battle would go.

"You might have mentioned it a few times in the last hour yeah," Harry replied sheepishly, admitting readily that he still had his moments of rash decision making. While he had outgrown the habit of jumping in headfirst without a plan, sometimes his roots just sprung back up at the most opportune times. Stupid Gryffindor character flaws…

"If you lose, you know I'm never going to forgive you," Yasaka said, her voice trembling a bit, "Akane-chan and Rin-chan would also be very upset…" Harry frowned.

"Hey, I'm not going anywhere remember? I'll always be there," he responded softly, squeezing his wife's hand comfortingly, knowing that her worst nightmares were about losing family, "I also promised to bake cookies today with Akane and Rin."

"Heh, think on the bright side Yasaka-chan," Kuroka said brightly, "Once Harry wins, we'll all be free! And then, I get to reward him all night long nyahaha…"

"Pervert," Yasaka muttered, a bit more life in her response.

"Like you're one to talk Ms. Exhibitionist," the black nekomata fired back without missing a beat, giggling at the fact that the Kyoto Queen still blushed after being with them for so long.

Soon enough, they were back in the main room of the Occult Research Club, and Grayfia was waiting for them.

"The others have gone ahead and have situated themselves. I trust you are prepared Potter-san?" Grayfia asked, her tightly controlled emotions hiding her own thoughts on what was about to occur.

"Of course. I hope we have a good fight. But please, call me Harry. It's really tiresome to hear my last name all the time…bad school memories," Harry said, earning a stoic nod from the silver-haired queen.

"Very well Harry-san. Yasaka-sama and Kuroka-san, I will be sending you to the seating area during transport," she informed, earning nods of understanding from the two youkai. Magic suddenly filled the air as the entire ORC lit up with a light blue light, and moments later, all four figures disappeared.

"It sure has been quite a while," Harry said conversationally as the transport magic died down, showing him the artificial sky of the underworld. With a slight nostalgia, he looked around the arena where he had met Shirone for the first time.

"The protections were quite heavily fortified after your last visit Harry-san," Grayfia said conversationally, "Even Lucifer-sama's power has some difficulty with breaking down the walls."

"Great! So, this means we don't really have to hold back then," the wizard said with an understanding nod.

"Ahem! Alright then!" Sirzechs' loud voice suddenly boomed over the stadium through magical rune clusters dotted all around the walls, "I'm hoping for an exciting fight from you two, Harry-kun! Grayfia-chan!"

"Well, guess this is it. Good luck Lucifurge-san," Harry said with a small bow.

"Likewise, Harry-san," Grayfia replied with a curtsey, taking a few generous paces back.

"Three!" Harry tensed his body, calling upon his magic to strengthen his body while his sharp eyes waited for any movement from the silver-haired queen. Idly, he wondered just how strong the Silver-Haired Queen of Annihilation really was.

"Two!" Grayfia took a deep breath, shifting her stance methodically, her mind recalling the previous known powers of her unusual opponent. Mentally she reinforced her resolve, adamant in not suffering the same fate as the guards eight years ago. She would have to be prepared for anything.

"One!" Magic cackled in the air as the two combatants condensed their magical energy, a nearly visible shimmer of power surrounding them. From the stands, Rias and her peerage looked on in awe and barely suppressed fear, realizing just how out of their league they really were in comparison. Sirzechs was nearly bouncing on the balls of his feat in excitement while the Kyoto faction females were staring intently at Harry, wishing him their best.

"Fight!"

In less than a blink of the eye, Grayfia shot forth, her fist flying forward, intent on ending the game as soon as possible. However, to her surprise and approval, she was met with empty air and turned right to block a fast jab to the ear. In kind, she responded with a swift spinning hook kick which Harry dodged underneath and rolled away.

They met each other's eyes, both recognizing a worthy opponent. With an acknowledging nod, they flew at each other once again, trading blows and testing the limits of the other's physical prowess. Eventually, both combatants had learned enough to understand their opponent's fighting style which lead to blows being landed by both parties multiple times.

Up in the stands, the audience was watching with rapt attention, various thoughts going through their heads. Rias and her group were continually awed at the fluidity and prowess that both fighters possessed, dancing around each other while looking for openings to strike. Each parry and block had enough force in them to shatter bones if not stone itself, and the clashing strikes reverberated loudly throughout the arena.

Kuroka and Yasaka were watching Harry very closely, critiquing his fight and mentally cataloging each misstep he made. A little bit of an over swing there, a missed opportunity here, a lack of aggression over there…There were many things they still had to fix. Training was a continuous grind after all.

Sirzechs observed with rapt curiosity, waiting patiently for the real fireworks to begin. He was honestly very surprised at how well Harry was matching Grayfia. She had fought in a war after all, and her ruthlessness was not something to be understated. He remembered fondly the few opponents that had believed her to only be a magic user, only to be absolutely destroyed by her physical ability within a few rib-crushing blows.

For another few minutes, the two, wizard and devil, continued fighting, a slight sheen of sweat forming on their faces as their breaths became slightly labored. With one last round of exchanges, they leapt back, both of them looking back at their opponent with a high amount of respect.

"You…are surprisingly very capable Harry-san," Grayfia complimented earnestly, "There are very few humans in history that had the ability to stand up to me, and none, save for you, that I can say are alive."

"Why thanks! Yasaka and Kuroka trained me well. I used to be the absolute pants at physical combat," Harry admitted with a grin, giving a thumbs-up to his wives who smiled and waved back at him, "Nothing better than having Youkai sparring partners for combat training."

"I can see the results speak for themselves," the silver-haired maid bantered back, "However, your statement is curious. It implies you learned magic as your main form of combat first."

"Of course! I'm a wizard after all," he replied with a slightly cocky grin, enjoying his fight with a new opponent. To be truthful, a peaceful life was great an all, but sometimes, his adventure-lust really got to him.

"Then, shall we?" she asked, more than three dozen magical glyphs lighting up behind her, all of them brimming with magical power.

"Of course! It's the main course after all," Harry responded, flaring his own magic, his hands glowing with power.

Seconds later, thousands of shards of magic-infused ice, careened towards Harry, intent on skewering him like a kebab. As they collided with the ground and wall, they exploded into more deadly fragments, likening Grayfia's opening salvo to a beautiful carpet bomb.

However, as she had hopped, Harry didn't seem any worse for wear, evidenced by the torrent of fire and lightning that was fired through the fine mist back at her, causing her to dive to the side to dodge. The lightning followed the slight mist in the air, electrifying the entire arena instantly, forcing her to raise her defenses, coming away with only a small burn on the back of her left hand.

The fire, however, had stopped mysteriously in mid-air, but Grayfia didn't have a moment to contemplate it as it suddenly morphed into a flaming three-headed dog. Gritting her teeth, she conjured up a wall of ice to buy her some time, frowning as she decided to match Harry's bit of magic showmanship.

With a small incantation underneath her breath and a sizable amount of power, she countered the three-headed fire dog with her own ice-golem, hers shaped like a giant wolf, and gave it one simple command, to kill the fire-dog standing before her and its master.

With a howl, the two canines clashed, battling for dominance as fire melted ice, and ice overcame fire. Not wanting to be put on the defensive, Grayfia rushed into the mist, commanding it to recede, revealing Harry who had been prepping his next spell.

With a yell, she lept forward, firing disks of razor-sharp ice at Harry's legs, forcing him to dodge or lose his legs. Harry, however, wasn't doing nothing the entire time, with another flash of magic, he brought forth his battle transfiguration prowess to bear, transfiguring left-over shards of ice into weapons of all types. Spears, swords, knives, and all manner of pointy objects were flung back at Grayfia with deadly force.

Continuously, missiles of ice, fire, lighting, metal and any other manner of element flashed across the battlefield. The ground was upended and wounded, like a child dragging a knife across the surface of a pristine cake. Chunks of smoldering earth and puddles of water littered the arena as the two continued to do deadly battle.

In the stands, everyone was watching with rapt attention. The level of magic power and spells being thrown around was not something seen every day. Each party demonstrated a certain level of deadly mastery that others had taken decades to perfect. For the youngest devils there, it made them wonder if they would ever reach such a level of magical potency.

Then a crash above them interrupted another volley of trades between the two locked in battle. Their two constructs collapsed, having used up all their magical power in an attempt to destroy their adversary. The shards of falling ice and fire smashed onto the battlefield, causing a veil of thick fog to roll over the two.

The audience held their breath as a few more bangs and explosions racked through the arena, the vibrations rumbling through the seats. Everyone watched intently with baited breath as the fog was magically dispersed.

Across the field, it was clear that the two combatants hadn't come away unscathed. Grayfia had a number of burns and cuts on her body, and her usually pristine maid uniform was in tatters, sliced open and burn on the edges. Harry wasn't fairing much better honestly, blood flowed consistently through a large gash on his leg, soaking his right leg and pooling blood around him, but his entire body was littered with cuts from small stray shards.

"Your magic is quite scary Lucifurge-san," Harry said, his stance wavering a bit. The blood loss was going to become a big problem soon.

"Yours is even more frightening," Grayfia answered seriously, "You display mastery with so many elements and over obscure magic I have never fought against. I find myself wondering what your next spell will do with equal parts dread and curiosity."

"I can see we're on our last legs though…" Harry said, noting the less-solid stance his adversary positioned herself in and the slight sway in her body, "So what do you say to one last bout? All or nothing. Should be fun."

"I can happily agree to that Harry-san," she replied, about to start gathering her magic power.

"I'd like you to use your best spell though Grayfia Lucifurge. I won't be satisfied if you just continue throwing ice at me," Harry said with a knowing smile, causing the silver-haired devil to start slightly in surprise.

"How do you know about that?" she asked with a deathly whisper, her eyes narrowing. It was a very tightly-regulated secret, and she could count the amount of people who knew about it on one hand.

"It's fairy self-evident if you know the history," Harry said with a smile, "And a person's magic is always colored by their origins. Yours is no different. I could feel it when I got struck by your ice."

The audience was very curious as to what Harry was talking about, and everyone looked to Sirzechs whose face was also expressing his surprise. He hadn't banked on the fact that Harry would push Grayfia this far.

"Nii-sama, what is Harry-sensei talking about?" Rias asked, a deep curiosity overcoming her, "Grayfia-nee-san secret power? Isn't she mostly an ice and water magic user?" Sirzechs sighed, knowing it wouldn't matter if he talked about it now, because they would see it in a few moments.

"It's true that Grayfia is a very deadly water and ice magic user. She was in contention for the position of Leviathan after all…however, her true strength lies in her birthright, just like your power stems from your blood Rias-chan," the Lucifer said, "It's a story that goes all the way back to the first Lucifer, the Fallen Angel of Light."

Nothing more had to be said, however, as a massive amount of holy power filled the air, causing all of the devils in the area to squirm. Once their eyes were adjusted to the light, they saw something they could hardly believe.

"Lucifurge…an altered name for her family's original purpose…Light forgers," Sirzechs said with a grim tone, feeling the power even affect him, "The only devil lineage from the original Lucifer that mutated to be able to utilize the power of holy light."

That was the true secret behind Grayfia's terrifying prowess in battle. Against other devils, her magic was inherently poisonous and deadly to any devil she fought against. It was why her body-count in the war was so astronomically high and why no adversary that had challenged her had survived, save for himself due to his own ridiculous strength.

"Fitting," Harry said with an excited grin, as the light continued to grow. By now, it had reached the size of a good-size car and it showed no signs of stopping.

"I hope you have something to stop this Harry-san, for your sake. It has been a long time since I used this power, so I can't really control it all that well," Grayfia said solemnly, her own voice struggling as she tried her best to hold up the massive amount of holy energy above her. Even if her blood allowed her the usage of such a forbidden power, there were always consequences, evidenced by the burning of her palms and the blood trickling down the side of her head.

Harry took a deep breath, calling upon his own forbidden powers, and suddenly, everyone's spirit in the arena was dunked in what felt like ice water. A sense of creeping dread slowly wiggled up the spines of everyone presence as a dark power coalesced in the air.

This was going to be the first time Harry had ever called so heavily upon his powers over death. Dark shadows curled around Harry, ready to devour anything its master desired. Nothing could withstand the power of the end, the inevitable void. It was absolute. That was the power of Death if mastered.

One day, his mastery over its power may reach that level. That would likely take centuries. For now, Harry could only hope with all of his soul and power that he had poured enough of his essence and magic into the attack.

With one last burst of effort from the two, wizard and devil, the entire arena rumbled and shook as the strain against the protections holding everything together began to degrade. Half of the battlefield was blinded by a scorching light, as if the sun itself had descended from the sky. The other half had been plunged into pitch black darkness of dancing shadows, not a spec of light escaping.

Then they clashed.

The resulting sound boomed throughout the arena as pure magical power collided, and just as when two opposites meet, complete annihilation occurs.

The explosion rocked the stadium to its foundations, and the power was so monstrously strong that the arena barely managed to stay standing. The wall that Harry had destroyed in the past had fallen once again alongside new sections that had been unlucky enough to be in the path of the energy. Sirzechs and Yasaka had prompt thrown up a strong barrier to protect their charges, and even they struggled a fair amount against the two powerful titanic waves of energy.

Then, after a long tense moment of silence, the dust settled, revealing only one bloodied, burned and bruised figure standing, albeit just barely. Yasaka and Kuroka smiled.

With a colossal effort, Harry dragged himself over to the fallen silver-haired queen, falling onto his knees as the blood loss and magic exhaustion hit him hard, his vision beginning to spin. With a burst of willpower, he bent down and checked on Grayfia's pulse, a sense of relief filling him as he confirmed she still lived.

She too looked like an absolute mess. Her hair was singed very badly, and he was pretty sure small chunks of her characteristic hair had been completely devoured by his death magic. Blood was pooling slowly beneath her, signifying that her wounds were just as serious as his. Her clothes were similarly in tatters, and, squeezing the last of his power out from himself, Harry conjured a plain blue blanket to protect her modesty.

"Match…It… was fun," he said with a smile before falling into a dead faint, face-planting into the dirt besides his adversary. He had done it.

He and his family were free.

* * *

Oh boy, it's been a while everyone. Sorry for the very, very, very long delay. School ain't no laughing matter as they say. Busy, busy busy. I did mean to update around Christmas time, but you guys know how it goes with family and stuff during that time.

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed, and please do not lynch me for such a long update dry-patch. With the summer rapidly approaching, hopefully that is mitigated.

Thanks for reading!

Woona the Cat


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